Some Things Never Change
by KBlye
Summary: This is another what if story... The curse failed and Snow and Charming was able to raise Emma in the Enchanted Forest. Emma is growing up to be very stubborn and independent like her mother. Also Regina continues to plan for Snow White's suffering and knows that Emma is now the key to destroying her happy ending.
1. Chapter 1

**This is another what if story... The curse failed and Snow and Charming was able to raise Emma in the Enchanted Forest. Emma is growing up to be very stubborn and independent like her mother. Also Regina continues to plan for Snow White's suffering and knows that Emma is now the key to destroying her happy ending. **

**Just to let everyone know, I don't own Once Upon A Time ;)  
**

Snow had spent the last hour looking all over the castle for her daughter. Where could she be, Snow thought as she searched the girls bed chamber for the third time. With no luck of finding Emma, Snow continued her search.

"Charming have you seen our daughter?" Snow asked as she walked into the castles large office where her husband was finishing with some paperwork.

"No sorry love, I havn't seen her since breakfast." he smiled then stopped to give Snow a quick kiss. After being married for years James still took every chance he could to steal a kiss from his adorable wife.

James noticed Snow was exhausted, obviously from walking the castle halls looking for Emma so he pulled her down into his lap. Straight away Snow relaxed in his arms and let her head rest on his chest. "I can't find her anywhere and I have searched the whole castle."

"Would you like me to help look for her?"

Snow moved her head to look at her husband as she spoke "Would you please? I have to start getting her ready for the ball tonight and knowing Emma it's going to take a very long time to just convince her to put her dress on."

James laughed at the memory of Emma getting ready for the last ball she had. Emma had refused to wear the purple dress Snow had gotten her, and in the end it took four hours and they ended up missing half the ball anyway. "Don't worry I will find her." James pulled Snow up with him as he stood and gave her another kiss, this time it lasted longer. Finally he pulled away "Besides I have a pretty good idea where she might be anyway."

Snow glared at James. "Charming is there something your not telling me?"

"I will go find our daughter and meet you in her room. You can figure out how to convince her to wear a dress." James reassured giving Snow his famous charming smile.

...

Emma raised her arms and lined up the arrow, she slowly pulled back the string on the bow until it touched the side of her cheek. She took in a slow breath of air and released her hold on the string, letting the arrow fly across the field. Emma smiled as the arrow hit the middle of the target that was marked out on the tree across from her then took a few steps further away from the target. She pulled out another arrow from over her shoulder and set it in the bow and took her aim again.

"Now what would your mother say if she new you were out here?" Came a voice from right behind Emma, making her jump.

"Dad! What are you doing hear?" Emma breathed trying to catch her breath from being startled.

"Looking for you." James' face went from being amused to disappointed in a matter of seconds and Emma noticed. "Emma what on earth are you doing out here in the forest? You know your not allowed to go beyond the castle wall unless you have a guard with you, it's dangerous. Do you have any idea what your mother would say..."

"Your not going to tell her are you?" Emma pleaded. "I just wanted to shoot some arrows and needed the space. I havn't gone too deep into the forest."

James sighed and walked over to Emma to kneel down infront of her. "Sweetie you know I can't lie to your mother. I know you only wanted to shoot some arrows but it's still very dangerous out here, you never know who's walking around here."

"You mean Regina?" Emma asked.

James tucked a loose blond curl behind Emma's ear then looked to meet her questioning gaze. "Yes Emma most likely Regina but there are many other people out there that are just as dangerous."

"Okay." Emma nodded. Although Emma had never met Regina she has heard enough bad stories from everyone in the kingdom about her. "But do you still have to tell mom I was here?"

"How about you get ready for tonight without any argument and I will try to keep it from her as long as I can?" James knew it wouldn't be very long until Snow finally forced him to tell her but he was hoping long enough to get Emma to the ball.

Emma weighed her options very carefully. If she agreed then she wouldn't have to sit though another one of her mothers long lecturers but if she didn't agree then she could try and get out of going to the ball tonight. She knew if she argued long enough then it would waste time like the last ball but sitting through another lecture would properly be worst than having to fake smile all night and wear a dress. "Okay" Emma finally agreed. "As long as you don't tell mom then I won't argue about getting ready."

James smiled at his daughter then stood up and offered her his hand. As soon as Emma grabbed hold of his hand James started to lead them back to the castle. "So how did you get passed the guards at the front gate anyway?" When Emma didn't reply he looked down at her to see she had the biggest smirk planted across her face and when she remained silent he took a metal note to remember to have more guards patrolling the castle wall.

When James and Emma arrived back, Snow was waiting for them in Emma's room fussing over the beading on the blue dress Emma is ment to wear tonight. Snow was pulled from deep thought when she heard James clear his throat at the door. Snow spun around to see Emma standing at his side with wide eyes. "That's the dress I have to wear?" She asked.

Snow forced her self not to smile at her daughters reaction to the dress. "Emma honey it's not that bad."

James gave Emma a nudge to remind her of their deal they made in the forest. "Your right." Emma forced a smile taking in the blue dress. "Thanks mom. I guess I'll go try it on."

Snow watched completely taken by surprise as Emma snatched the dress of the hanger and took it into her washroom to get changed. "What is that all about? How did you get her to agree to wear the dress so easily?"

"I guess I can be pretty persuasive at times." James told Snow walking over to wrap her in his arms.

"Charmings more like it." The two of them stood there finding comfort in each other before Snow pulled away to meet James' gaze. "Where was she?" Snow wondered and James' face softened. "I don't want to know do I?"

"Not right now no."And before Snow could question him again Emma came out from the washroom wearing her new dress. "Emma you look beautiful." Emma just let out a huff and stomped over to start brushing her hair. "I guess I will let you two finish getting ready while I go get washed up." As James turned to leave his two girls he planted a kiss on his wife's lips and whispered in her ear. "Good luck."

Snow swatted James on the arm as he left the room. She knew he was only joking but when it came to getting Emma ready she properly could use all the luck she could get.

Snow went over to where Emma was sitting infront of a mirror brushing her hair and offered to take the brush from her. "Here honey do you want some help? Emma handed her mother the brush and stared down at her dress, playing with some of the loose lace in her fingers. "Emma what's wrong?" Snow's voice was slightly worried.

Emma kept her eyes focused on her hands. "I hate dressing up."

"Oh sweetie I know but it's only for a few hours. The time will fly by and before you know it, it will all be over." Snow tried to reassure but Emma kept her head down. "Emma is something else wrong?"

"It's just.." Emma hesitated, "It's nothing, never mind."

Snow stopped pinning Emma's hair up and turned the girl to face her. "Honey you know you can tell me anything right? I will always be here for you no matter what."

"Even if I did something that would make you angry?" Emma said slowly looking up to see her mothers facial expression.

"Even if I'm upset with you Emma I will always love you." Snow cupped her daughters face in her hands and place a gentle kiss on top of her head. "Nothing you do could ever stop me from loving you."

...

Once the ball had ended and everyone was thanked for attending, James and Snow headed upstairs to their room. "Do you think most people noticed Emma slip out half way through the night?" Snow asked as they walked down the halls of the castle.

"I was planning on going to get her to greet everyone a goodbye but she has been very cooperative tonight I was afraid I would ruin everything."

"Oh which reminds me." Snow said in a curious voice pulling James into their room. "Where did you find her today?"

James positioned himself infront of the door ready to stop her from going and yelling at Emma. "She was out in the forest shooting her bow."

"She what!" Snow yelled stepping forward but only to be stopped by James' body.

"Snow clear your head before you go yelling at her." It never ended well when Snow and Emma got into arguments they were both too stubborn to see both sides of the story.

"Was she crazy! She knows she isn't allowed to go beyond the castle wall. It's dangerous, what was she thinking?" Snow rambled. James placed his hands on Snow's shoulders to calm her down and at his instant touch she relaxed and let out a heavy sigh. "How did she even get passed the guards?"

James gave Snow a look that said please-it's-Emma-the-girl-who-has-both-our-genes. "She didn't say exactly but I'm going to have extra guards at the front gate watching from now on."

"Well I'm going to go check on this daughter of ours to see that she really is in bed."

Snow stepped around and headed towards the door. "Snow go easy on her please, she didn't go too far away from the castle."

James watched as his wife turned back around to glare at him. "Is this why Emma got ready for tonight without a fuss." Everything was making more sense now. "Because she didn't want me to know she was out there."

"I told her I wouldn't keep it a secret from you but as long as you didn't know she agreed to no arguing about tonight. She was afraid you would get really upset with her. Snow please go easy on her, she knew it was wrong and I don't want to see either one of my girls upset tonight okay."

"Why do you have to be so dam charming." Snow smiled and planted a kiss on his lips before turning to leave the room once more.

…...…...

Emma watched from her balcony as the last of the guests from the ball drove away. She had already ditched the dress and changed into her sleep wear. When she heard her parents voices coming from down the hall Emma ran across her room over to her door to open it slightly, making sure not to make a sound. When she saw that her parents had entered their room, Emma opened her door fully to creep down to the kitchen to grab a snack. She only got to the end of the hallway before she heard her mothers voice, "She what!" Emma froze on the spot and then without thinking she was running back to her room closing the door shut and jumped onto her bed. She hid herself under the covers and pulled the thick blanket over her head and prepared herself for her mothers anger wave.

It felt like only a matter of seconds to Emma before there was a knock at her door then the door creaking open. "Emma?" Came her mothers voice. Emma felt the weight on the bed shift when Snow sat down so she pulled the blankets tighter over her head. "Emma honey I'm not going to yell at you."

"Why not? I disobeyed you and went behind your back." Emma muttered from under the covers.

"Well if I yell at you that's only going to make everyone upset and that's not going to get us anywhere." Emma slowly emerged from under the blankets and sat up to wait for Snow to continue. "Emma please don't just go off like that ever again. You don't realise how dangerous it is out there. What if something happened to you or you ran into someone. Honey if I don't know where you are, I can't make sure your safe. If you had just asked me I would have let you gone just as long as I knew. I know how responsible you are Em but that doesn't mean everyone else is the same. Please don't ever hide anything from me again."

Emma was shocked that Snow wasn't completely yelling at her but she threw her arms around her mothers neck and hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry."

Snow hugged her daughter back, glad that she got through to Emma. "Oh and one more thing, don't ever feel the need of not being able to tell me something because of how I might react. Like I told you earlier, I will still love you no matter what."

"I love you too mom."

Snow stood up from the bed and tucked Emma in then gave her a kiss on the head. "Goodnight sweetheart. Sweet dreams."

**Let me know what you think.. If you wanna hear more..  
I'm not sure how long I'm planing to make it but if you enjoy it I'm more than happy to continue to write.  
Thanks for reading.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

**Wow guys it is really amazing to know that yous like the story- all the reviews keep me motivated to write as quickly as I can so please continue to let me know how you feel.**

**Just to let yous know I am writing Emma to be about 11 years old in this, the age when kids are figuring out who they are and where they fit in before they hit their teen years.**

**Once again thanks guys! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

Emma was putting on her favorite clothes for today, it was her cream coloured riding pants with a worn out white long sleeve shirt and her knee high brown boots. When she went to the mirror to check her reflection her eyes landed on her neckline where her necklace usually sat. It was a swan charm that her parents had gotten for her on her sixth birthday, Emma was hardly ever seen with it not around her neck.

Emma cursed herself for not realising it falling off, she must have lost it in the forest when she was shooting arrows yesterday. She would be lucky if her mother let her back out to look for it but she was willing to try anything just to recover her most treasured item.

As Emma searched for her mother, she found her absentmindedly humming to herself as she was making her bed. "Mom I lost my necklace." Emma cried.

"Well it's got to be around here somewhere. I'll help you look if you like." Snow finished fluffing the last pillow and place it neatly against the headboard.

"I'm pretty sure it's not in the castle." Emma told her mother in a low voice.

"You lost it yesterday didn't you?" Snow asked looking down at Emma.

"Can I please just go back quickly and have a look. I promise I won't go far and I won't be too long either." Emma begged her mother. She could see Snow wanted very much to just say no and be done with the conversation but remembering back on the agreement of last night Snow wanted also to keep her word with Emma.

"Okay, you can go look for it by yourself but I don't want you going any further than where you were yesterday." Emma's face lit up and she started jumping on the spot with excitement. "But Emma I want you back here in an hour." Snow warned the girl.

"Yes, yes I will. I promise. Thank you mom." Emma hugged Snow and ran out of the room in a flash.

"Emma be careful!" Snow yelled but the girl was already half way down the hall.

…...

James was talking with one of the guards when he saw his wife round the corner and enter the room. The guard also saw Snow enter and greeted her a good morning before excusing himself and leaving the two.

"What are you up to?" James asked Snow who was glowing with a wide grin on her face. "There's only one person I know who can make you smile so much, what did she do?"

Snow hooked her arms around James' neck and looked into his blue eyes. "How do you know I'm not just this happy to see you?"

"Because love," He said between kisses. "I only saw you twenty minutes ago."

"Well you can be pretty charming."

"So I've heard."

James went to pull Snow into another kiss when one of the guards came running into the room gasping for breath. "Your majesties. It's Regina, she's on her way here with an army."

Snow froze in James' arms. James new Regina would continue to come for them and like always he would fight for Snow's safety but this time he had Emma to worry about and he would die before he let anyone lay a finger on her. "Assemble everyone we have. I will not let her get inside this castle." He told the guard who was already running to get everyone.

James turned to Snow who still hadn't moved. "James.." Snow started but stopped.

"Snow don't worry I won't let her hurt you." James saw that Snow was in complete shock and staring straight through him. He couldn't understand why Snow was like this for she has been threatened by Regina before. "Snow what is it?" He tried to shake her shoulders to get her to focus on him.

"Emma." Snow voice was barley audible.

"Where is she?" James placed his hands around Snow's now very sickly pale face and moved her head so she was looking straight at him. "Snow where is Emma?"

"Outside. In the forest."

James forgot how to breath as he heard the words leave Snow's mouth. He knew he didn't have time to start to have a panic attack over his daughters whereabouts he just needed to find her. "Snow go to the cellar and wait for me. I will go find Emma and bring her back."

"No! I coming with you, I have to find her." Snow said as she was now coming out of her initial shock.

James held his wife's face firmly in his hands. "No, if anyone see's you they will follow you. Have faith, I will find her. I will always find her." He brought Snow's lips to his and gave her a fierce kiss.

Before James could pull away Snow gripped his shirt tighter. "What if she's here for her?" She quickly asks not sure if she really wants to hear the answer or not. The idea of Regina even talking to Emma makes Snow feel sick to the stomach.

"Snow, Regina isn't _ever_ going to get anywhere near Emma. Not if I'm alive." James tried to reassure her as much as he could. "I love you." He said before finally turning away and leaving to find their daughter before Regina or one of her men could.

"Love you too. Please bring our baby home." She whispered after her husband.

...

Emma was tracing over her steps in the forest that she took yesterday searching for her prized necklace. It was times like these when she was so very thankful for Red teaching her how to track, it allowed Emma to see exactly where she walked yesterday. It didn't take long before a flicker of silver caught the corner of her eye and as she walked over to investigate, she found the charm lying in the dirt half hidden under a few fallen leaves.

Emma silently thanked the lords for not having lost it forever and placed it back around her neck where it holds a permanent spot. Just as she takes a step to head back, Emma hears movement come from further in the forest. At first she doesn't move and thinks she just miss heard but when she hears another rustle coming from closer than before she knows someone is there.

She considers turning quickly and running back to the castle but when she then hears the voices of a group of men she figures they would hear her run off and more than likely investigate themselves coming after her before she got to the castle wall and to be honest, Emma was mostly curious. So she decides to pull herself up in the nearest tree and as quietly as possible climb as high and out of sight as she could.

When Emma got half way up the tree she was stopped when a group of four men in black armor came into view, she sat and watched as they search the area. Emma wondered who's army they belonged to as she has never seen them before.

"There's nothing out here, come on this is a waste of time lets get out of here." Said one of the men.

"Wait." One of them ordered. "Did you hear that?" Emma held her breath and hoped no branches holding her would snap.

She watched as all four of the men looked around them until finally another one of them spoke. "It was proberly a rabbit, lets go."

Emma remained motionless as she watched the group disappear back into the thick green forest. She made sure to wait a while before slowly climbing back down the tree, wondering why a group of soldiers would be out here and what they were searching for. She knew very well they did not belong to her fathers army so who's army _did_ they belong to.

The girl jumped from the last branch onto the floor and she ended up falling to her knees. Just as she picked herself up and brushed off the dirt that had gathered on her pants she felt two big arms wrap around her body. One arm wrapped around her torso and the other arm went over her shoulder and their hand covered her mouth. Emma immediately struggled against the grip and yelled out but the strong arms had her held down.

"Well, well. Look who we found." Emma reconised the voice from one of the men in the black armor. "I think the Queen would be pleased to know that we found what she was looking for."

Emma fought as hard as she could against the man but it did very little. The men belonged to Regina and that ment she was in serious trouble.

The man started to walk back deeper into the forest pulling Emma along with him until they came to a clearing not far from where he caught hold of her. Emma stopped struggling to take a moment to look around. There were the other three men and a few horses waiting with two of the horses hitched to a caged cart.

"So I guess she wasn't far away." Said the man that was opening the cart door.

Emma eyes widened when she put the pieces together. They were here to catch her and take her away to the Evil Queen. She had to think quick, she had to come up with a plan. Looking around she noticed the two other men saddling up their horses across the small clearing. If she was quick enough she could hopefully catch them off guard and get ahead of them.

Emma didn't think anymore, she bit down as hard as she could on the mans hand around her mouth. She knew she had a matter of seconds as he yelled out in pain so as soon as his grip loosened on her, Emma elbowed him in the face and took of running as fast as her legs could take her.

Everything happened so fast one minute Emma was running for her life then the next minute something got hold of her ankle and she was face down in the dirt again. The wind was pushed out of her lungs as she hit the ground with such a force and when she sat up to look at the man hanging off her ankle she could feel where there would be bruises tomorrow.

As she tried to catch her breath again she could see how pissed the man that she bit was. But it wasn't him who had caught her ankle and tripped her, to her surprise it was the man who was opening the cart door.

"You little shit!" He yelled as he walked over and approached Emma while she sat on the forest floor. Emma watch him raise his hand over his head then felt the connection to the side of her face. The impact of the slap pushed Emma over and she could taste the blood pooling in her mouth.

"Don't hit her. You know the Queen wants her unharmed." Said the one who had hold of Emma's ankle and then he moved from his spot only to grab hold of her arm and drag her to her feet.

Emma tried to stay calm and swallow down the panic that was threatening to overtake her. She tried to focus and plan what to do next but once again she was about to be thrown into the cage and taken away. Just as the men got ready to push Emma inside the cage the noise of a sward being drawn from a sheath rang out from behind them.

All the men turned and when Emma turned with the one who had hold of her she saw her father standing across from them all with his sword drawn.

"Let her go now." James said in a firm and stern voice.

The three men all drew their own swords and stepped forward while the man who had complete hold of Emma retreated for the closes horse behind them. James took down one of the men in one single motion but the other two put up a fight, blocking him from getting to his daughter.

Emma fought as hard as her little body could against the mans hold. "Daddy!" She yelled out to her father as she was being pulled up onto the horse.

James caught a glimps of his daughter being dragged away and when he heard the fear in her voice as she yelled out for him, yelled out for father to come and protect her it was enough for James to get the upper hand and finish off the remaining solider.

Emma struggled as the man pulled her up and when she was half hanging off the horse she saw her opportunity. She used one of her legs to kick as hard as she could in the horses side, with the one kick the horse took off into a gallop and Emma was thrown and the man now tried to control his manic horse.

James rushed over to his daughters side when she hit the ground with a thump. He quickly looked up to see the last man riding away into the forest before placing his full focus back on the child lying on the floor. He rolled her over to find her eyes closed and body completely limb. The worst of thoughts ran through his mind and worry overtook his features.

"Emma honey can you hear me?" He cried out, gently shaking her shoulders. "Emma please open your eyes."

Emma eyes slowly fluttered open. "Dad?"

James' face broke into a huge smile as he pulled Emma into his arms where she was safe. He let tears escape his eyes as the fear of what almost happened hit him. "Oh honey you scared me so much."

Emma also let the tears fall and broke into a sob as the shock started to sink in. "Dad I'm so sorry."

James held Emma close to him and ran a hand threw her hair while she sobbed into his chest. After a few minutes of silence he pulled back to check her over and it was then that he noticed pass her unusually pale skin and red puffy eyes, the bright red hand print that outlined the side of her cheek. "Emma did they hit you?"

"Yer." She sniffed. "When I tried to get away."

If someone hadn't just laid a hand on his daughter and marked her skin then James is sure he would give her a smile and feel proud of her bravery but all he felt was the need to go hunt the man down and make him pay. Instead James brushed his fingers across the swollen cheek a pulled her back close to him. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you anywhere else?"

He felt Emma shake her head against his chest and was glad they didn't hurt her anymore but he was sure he would make sure he kept an eye on her for the next few days for any more signs. "Come on bud lets get you back to your mom." Emma didn't let go of James' shirt or make an effort to move so he picked her up and carried her back towards the castle as she let out a sob every now and then.

James wasn't sure if Regina's men had gotten into the castle walls so he went around the back just to be safe and after what Emma went through today she doesn't need to see any of the soilders or anymore fighting.

Once James located the hidden trap doors that lead under ground to the cellar he at first had trouble opening them with Emma refusing to be put down but he managed to open one and slide inside. He closed the door behind him and looked around the room for Snow. All he could see where barrels of wine scattered around the room and stored food sitting on their shelves.

Once he turned around to the stairs that led back to the castles hallways he was face with a bow and arrow pointed at him from across the room. "Charming?" Came Snow's voice from the shadows then she stepped out and noticed Emma. "Oh my god! What happened?" She said rushing over to check the girl draped over James' shoulder. "Emma!"

"She got caught up by Regina's men." James tried to explain. He went to hand Emma over to Snow before Snow started to have her own panic attack but Emma kept her grip tight on his shirt and wouldn't let go.

"Emma sweetie?" Snow placed a hand on her daughters back to acknowledge her presents.

That's all it took for Emma to open her eyes and start crying all over again. "Mom!" Emma let go of her fathers shirt and reached over to her mother. When she was swapped over and place in Snow's arms Emma continued to grip her shirt as if it was her lifeline. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to get caught."

"Shhh.. Emma honey I know. It's okay your safe now. I got you and I'm never letting you go." Snow soothed her daughter and rubbed circles on her back. "Charming what the hell happened?"

"I'll have to tell you later. I have to go see what's happening upstairs." James gave Snow an apologetic look.

Snow wasn't happy that he had to leave to go help fight when she had no idea what her daughter just went through but she knew it was his duty. "Don't be too long and be careful please."

James gave Snow a kiss but before he turned to leave Emma reached out and grabbed his hand. "Dad don't go. Please." She begged.

"I have to go check on everyone else sweetie and make sure they are all safe." He told her moving out of her hold.

"No daddy please." Emma pleaded and it broke James' heart hearing his daughter in almost hysterics but he had to go, he wasn't just a father but he was the King and a lot of people relied on him. Snow saw as her husband was torn and nodded knowing he had to go and didn't have much of a choice.

James turned and ran up the stairs while Emma cried out for him to stay and come back, he couldn't stop or turn back because he knew that if he did he wouldn't be able to leave again. Snow silently cried as Emma yelled out, she knew how much will power it would have taken James to walk away from Emma and she knew she didn't have that much strength.

…...

Emma sat wrapped in Snow's arms with her head burrowed in the side of her neck, she had officially ran out of tears so she just sat here and waited. She could feel her eye lids getting heavier and heavier with each passing minute but refused to give into the darkness.

Snow watched as the exhaustion overtook Emma and she drifted of to sleep. It was only thirty minutes that had passed when the door at the top of the stairs opened and James came walking down and into view. "Is everything okay?" Snow asked worried seeing that her husband hadn't been gone that long.

"Yer it seems Regina's men only attacked the front gate and after they couldn't get in they just left." James told her as he stroked Emma's blond hair.

"What they just left? Just like that?" Snow scrunched up her face in confusion.

"Yer I think it was only a distraction."

"What could.." Snow started but the look on James' face said it all. "Emma. She was looking for Emma." She tried not to shout and wake the child.

"I think so." James answered sadly. "How is she?" The voice of his daughter screaming for him still played clear in his mind.

"She finally cried herself to sleep and I only just got her body to stop shaking. Charming what the hell happened out there?" Snow saw how pain masked James' face.

"If only I had gotten there faster." He muttered to himself, shaking his head. Snow placed a hand on his face. A silent gesture that told him it wasn't his fault. "Four of Regina's men had her and were about to throw her into a cart. As I tried to fight of three of them, one that had hold of her dragged her up onto a horse and tried to ride away." James tried to hold down the tears threatening to escape as he replayed the scene in his head. "Emma kicked the horse and the soilder lost his grip on her and she was thrown from the horse. I don't know what happened before I got there, she didn't say much, she went into shock pretty quick."

Snow swore to herself she would never let Emma leave her side ever again. How could she be so careless in the first place. "What's happening upstairs?"

"Everyone's just organizing themselves and winding down."James explained. "Come on we should take her to her room for when she wakes up."

…...

Snow place Emma down on her bed while James went and got her a change of clothes from Emma's closet. Placing Emma down on the bed and stepping back to look over her, Snow noticed for the first time the purple bruise forming on the side of the girls face. Since she hadn't gotten a proper look at her face yet because she was too busy trying to comfort the child she let out a loud gasp.

Hearing Snow, James rushed back to her side to see her gaze locked on the sleeping girl with the half purple and red face. Snow felt her legs buckle under her but before she could fall to ground James was there holding her up. He dragged her over to a chair beside the bed and sat her down. "Snow she is okay." He reassured.

"They.. they hit her." She said through tears.

"I know. I know." James was lost for words he knew what Snow was feeling and there was nothing that could justify anyone laying a hand on their daughter.

Emma started to stir in her sleep and tried to roll over but was hit with shooting pain just about all over her body. It was then that everything came rushing back. "Daddy!" Emma shouted, quickly sitting up and ignoring all the pain. The only thing she needed was to see her father was alright.

Both Snow and James moved from there spots and over to the bed at the sound of Emma voice. "Emma I'm right here honey." As soon as Emma's eyes connected with his she flew into his arms. "Shhh baby I'm right here. Everything's going to be okay." He soothed.

"I thought they were going to hurt you."

"Hey Emma look at me. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere, I promise."

Snow went around and sat on the other side of the bed next to Emma to comfort her. Emma was shaken up and Snow swore to herself that Regina would pay for hurting her, it was one thing to come after her but to have Emma involved sent Snow into motherly protection mode. A mother who would do anything to ensure her daughters safety.

James sat back against the headboard holding Emma close while Snow stroked her long curly blond hair and the two of them watched over Emma as the darkness of sleep once again consumed her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

**A huge thank you to everyone! I am thrilled her hear that yous are liking it! ****This chapter took a little longer to write so sorry about that but I hope it gives yous a little more inside into how Emma feels. **

**As always let me know what you think good or bad I appreciate every comment.**

**disclaimer: not mine but a lot of us are still wishing!**

Two weeks had passed since Regina's men attacked the castle and Emma was almost taken but Snow was still on high alert. She would check on Emma half way through each night to make sure she hadn't just disappeared. Doc had told her and James to expect nightmares after he examined her (though he didn't do a full examine because Emma wouldn't allow him near her but seeing how shaken and distressed she was), he expected Emma to battle with her emotions. Snow and James waited for the screams in the night or the lack of sleep in the morning but it never came.

Emma knew her parents were both watching her like a hawk and just waiting for her to do something but she never let it show how she sometimes woke in the middle of the night trying to catch her breath. Lucky her mother never saw her when she came to check up and when Emma got up the next mornings she found it easy to bury her fears and hid her tiredness from everyone. It was the only thing Emma felt she could fully control and so everyday she would push her emotions around only showing people what they wanted to see.

For the first few days Emma could see how her mother and father looked at her every time they noticed the hand-print bruise on her cheek, it was a mixture of guilt and sorrow, to Emma it was a reminder that she didn't move quick enough or think faster. That's why she had been covering up the bruises that concealed her arms, Emma didn't want her parents to fuss over her and ask her heaps of questions. She was happy that they hadn't asked her what happened before and how she managed to get herself caught, infact no one really said anything more about that day but Emma knew too well that her father was trying to plan a captcher for Regina.

Emma rounded the corner into the court room where she found her mother talking to to another woman, she was about to turn and leave when she saw the red cloak hanging off the woman. Her eyes lit up, she would know that cloak anywhere. Especially the woman it belonged to. "Red!" Emma yelled as she ran over to hug her favourite aunty.

"Hey princess." Replied Red as she broke away from her conversation with Snow to relay the embrace. "How's my favourite girl going?"

"Really good now your here." Emma beamed. "Are you busy today I was hoping we could hang out?"

"Darling I'm never to busy to hang out with you." Red told the girl.

"Really all day?"

"I'm all yours. What are we doing?"

Emma looked over to her mother. "I hoped we could maybe go for a walk."

Snow reacted without thinking. "No way." She had just gotten through telling Red what happened and how it was her who let Emma go out into the forest in the first place.

Red watched Emma's face fall, she could see the girl was ready to go back out and move on with her life. Very much like her mother, not letting anything hold her back. If Snow could only see how very similar they are. "Snow I'll watch her."

"Please mom, I really want to get outside of these castle walls. I really want to hangout with Red, she will be there the whole time. Who better to have by my side than my aunty who also has extra senses for danger." Emma knew it wasn't going to be easy to get her parents to agree to let her back out but Red offered the best chance when Emma didn't want to go out with either of her parents knowing how protective they would be.

Red could see Snow was having a hard time letting go. "Come on Snow I promise I will guard her with my life and we won't even go very far isn't that right Em?"

Emma nodded along with Red's words, anything to encourage her mother. "Don't be all day and make sure you come straight back to me to let me know your home." Snow said caving and when Emma let out the biggest smile in two weeks Snow was glad she said yes. Red put her arm around Emma and they both smiled wickedly at each other in achievement. "What will Charming say." Snow mumbled to herself now reconsidering her answer.

"Why don't you go tell him and that gives me and Emma time to get ahead before he sends the search party to drag us home." Red said trying to hide her smile.

"Red I know your family but we both know that won't stop Charming from coming after you." Snow stated before changing her tone serious again. "Red keep her safe."

"I will." Red promised.

"Thanks mom. Love you." Emma said kissing her mom with a smile Snow has seen multiple times on James' face.

"Love you too Emma. Be careful." She yelled after them. As she stood there staring at where they disappeared around the corner, she was conflicted with how to tell James the news.

…...

Snow found James at the castles horse stable tending to his grey stallion. He was finishing brushing the magnificent horse when he noticed her walk over and stroke the beast's head. "Hey love."

Snow gave him a smile but remained silent. James knew something was on her mind and he had a feeling it was about Emma so he took her hand in his and led her out of the horses stall and out of the stables.

James led Snow to the front gate and as they continued to walk towards the side of the forest she was pulled from her thoughts and realized where they were going. "Charming why are we.."

James put his finger to Snow's lips. "Just wait." They continued to walk until just inside the forest they hit a small water hole at the base of a tree. James stopped and bent down to take a mouthful of water. He looked back at Snow still standing there with a confused look on her face wondering why they where out here. "Emma is out here in the forest isn't she?"

Snow's mouth drop open slightly. How did he know. Snow took in James' expression and she could see the side of his lips turning up into a smile. Here she was wondering how to tell him without him freaking out but it seemed she was the only one who was freaking out. "How did you know?" she gave into the curiosity.

"I know you Snow." He said walking over and wrapping his arms around her waist. "You always have a look in your eyes when you worry about Emma and the only thing that could set that off was if she was out here."

Snow rolled her eyes at how well James knew her. "I let her go with Red."

"You know Red better than anyone and you know Red would never let anything happen to her."

"I know. I know. It's just..."

"Last time you let her go, she was hurt and almost taken?" James cut her of.

"I shouldn't have let her go in the first place." Snow swallowed back the tears.

"You can't keep Emma out of the forest. She is either going to ask us to come out here or go off by herself without anyone knowing."

Snow knew he was right but it was easier to argue than have to worry all the time. "Are you not worried that it's going to happen again?"

"Snow listen to me." James said moving his hands to cup her face and focus her gaze on him. "She's not alone out there, not this time. As much as I would like to, we can't keep her locked up her whole life and until she is old enough we can only protect her us much as she will let us. I hate that I can't wrap her up and keep her by my side every minute where I know she would be safe because it is Emma and who knows what that girl gets herself into." He sighed and gave Snow a kiss. "She is exactly like someone else I know."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Snow tried to look offended but was too proud by his statement.

"Just that she is defiantly her mothers daughter." James laughed pulling her in for another kiss.

Snow still worried about Emma and so did James but they tried to hid it as best they could while they enjoyed their walk through the forest. Something they hadn't done in a while together and as much as Snow loves her life now and wouldn't change it for anything, part of her still misses the days living as a bandit in the thick forest.

…...

"So Em, how you been?" Red asked as they walked side by side deeper into the thick green forest, further away from the castle.

"I'm fine." Emma said smiling back at her and walking on.

"If you don't mind me asking why exactly did you want to come out here. Don't get me wrong I really miss you and love our time together but.."

"But after what happened why do I really want to come back out here?" Emma cut Red off from finishing.

Red was confused that the girl was being so forward. After hearing what had happened from Snow she was now not sure who it had affected worse. Emma or Snow. "Yer. " Was all Red could muster up.

Emma let out a chuckle at her aunts confusion which only seemed to further shock the woman. "I can't let what happened stop me from living my life. All I can do is move on and accept that there are dangers out there that I can't always be prepared for."

"Emma you sound like your mother right before she goes of and does something stupid. Please tell me your not thinking of doing anything stupid?" Red had a smile on her face but Emma heard the worry behind it.

"If asking you to teach me more about tracking counts as stupid then yes." Red stopped to study the girls face. "Come on I just wanted to spend as much time in the forest and learn as much as I can before my mother locks me back up behind the castle walls. Besides you already showed me the basics it would be silly not to teach me more." She hoped Red wouldn't see through her pleading. "Please Red."

Red couldn't see the harm in teaching the girl a few things, she was a fast learner and it would only help her if she ever got into trouble again. "Okay I'll do it." Emma smiled widely and Red was happy to have been the one who put it on her face.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

**well here is chapter 4 as always I hope everyone enjoys!**

Red made sure they were home well before sunset so Snow wouldn't freak out. The two of them spent most of the day in the forest tracking different animals and Red was still surprised with how well Emma was acting. She was now sure that Snow was affected worse than Emma was. Red knew she had to try and get Snow to let go of what happened but just thinking about it, she knew what ever she said to Snow it would pass straight by her and Snow wouldn't listen.

"Hey mom, we're back." Emma greeted her mother as they entered the castle's front room.

Emma hid her smile as Snow tried hard not to fuss over her. "Your back."

"As I promised." Said Red.

Snow took a step back from hugging her daughter to notice her clothes now covered in black dirt. "Had some fun did we Emma?"

Emma shrugged at her mother. "Just climbed a few trees."

"Well I'm glad you had a good day." Snow smiled as her stress disappeared. "Your fathers up in the library office, I know he wanted to see you when you got back so why don't you go up and see him while I say bye to Red."

"Okay. Bye Red, thanks for today I'll see you next week." Emma ran off up the stairs to her father and Snow just looked over to Red who was smiling after her.

…...

Emma reluctantly entered the large library office to find her father with his head in a stack of papers. "Dad?" She whispered out half hiding behind the door.

Straight away James looked up from the papers. "Hey Em." When James saw Emma wasn't going to move he chuckled. "Well come on over here and give your father a hug I havn't seen you all day. Or are you too big for hugs these days?"

Emma laughed back at James and ran over into his arms as he pulled her up into his lap. "I will never be too big for a hug from my dad."

"Well that's good to know because I won't ever let you forget it."

"Your not mad at me?" Emma asked. "For going out there?"

James kissed her onto of the head. "No sweetie I'm not mad at you, why would you think that?"

"Cause I think mom was. I know she hates it when I'm out there."

"Your mother wasn't mad and she doesn't hate that your out there, she just worries herself sick when she doesn't know if your safe or not as I do."

"I can't live my whole life behind the castle walls." Emma wanted to prove a point.

"I know Em but for now you just have to bear with your mother and I until we know more on Regina." James hated to see his daughter upset but he continued to tell himself it was for her safety and he would ensure her safety no matter what. "How was your day with Red?" He tried to lighten the mood.

"Really good. I was glad to get away from the castle and just be out in the forest with Red. It was very... refreshing"

James couldn't help the smile on his face, this girl was turning out to be more like her mother every minute of the day. "That's good to hear, I'm glad you had fun today."

"Hey dad. Why does Regina want me so badly?" Emma asked curiously.

James took a moment to think about his answer, he didn't want to get Emma worked up. It wasn't her battle but she was now smack bang in the middle. "Sweetie Regina only ever wanted one thing and that was to take away your mothers happy ending. First she tried to separate me and your mother from each other and now that we have you, you are your mothers happy ending. If anything happened to you your mother would be destroyed, as I would. Regina knows this and that's why she knows this easiest way to hurt your mother is by getting to you." James watched Emma as she tried to process all the information. "We don't mean to be overly protective Emma but your safety comes first and until we know more on Regina and what she is trying to plan we just need you to bear with us. Does that make much sense?" James wanted to know she still understood him.

"Yer dad I understand. Thank you." She said wrapping her arms around him for another hug.

"Okay good, now if you ever have a question you know you can come to your mother or I for anything and we will explain it as best we can." Emma gave him a nod. "Well, I think it's about time for dinner. Why don't you go get washed up and meet me in the dinning room while I go search for you mother."

Without another word Emma hopped off her fathers lap and headed for her room to change out of her dirt covered clothes and into clean ones.

…...

The next morning Emma went off in search for her best friend Pinocchio. She knew he would probably be in the tower where he and his father did most of their work.

"Good morning Princess Emma. What brings you at this end of the castle?" Gappeto greeted Emma when he looked up from a clock he was fixing.

"Morning Gappeto I was just wondering if Pinocchio was around?"

"Ah my boy is out the back putting some tools away, go on in." Gappeto gestured towards the back room before going back to focus on the clock on the table.

"Thanks." Emma replied before going to the door. When she slowly opened it she saw Pinocchio standing on a ladder putting various tools back on the shelves. "Hey Pinocchio."

"Oh hey Emma, what are you doing here?" He asked curiously. Emma use to always come here and hang out with Pinocchio when they were both littler but as he got older he was inclined to more responsibilities and more work needed to be done, now Emma only came here occasionally to talk with Pinocchio when he wasn't busy.

"I was wondering if you were busy, I wanted your help with something." She tried not to sound too desperate but really she hoped he could help her.

"Actually I don't have much to do at all what did you need?" Pinocchio put the last tool away and hopped down from the ladder.

"Do you know how to make a bow?"

Pinocchio was a little confused. "Don't you already have a bow?"

"Yes but I wanted to lean how to make one from scratch and I was hoping you could show me how."

"Yer I can show you but may I ask why?"

Emma put on an apologetic face. "Sorry I know your my best friend but with your whole truthful thing I can't let my parents find. Not yet anyway."

Pinocchio studied her for a moment. "I'm not going to get into trouble for helping you am I?"

"Since when have you been worried about getting in trouble?" She laughed.

"Okay come on I'll show you." He answered and Emma followed him out of the room.

The most of the day was spent looking for fresh material and carving out simple styles of bows that were easy to cut. Pinocchio showed Emma what tools to use and how to use them and also what to do if you couldn't find and had to use something else. At the end of the day Emma had made herself a simple bow out of scrap material lying around the castle.

…...

Emma was in her wash room getting changed for dinner and she didn't realise her mother enter the room. As she slipped on her shirt over her head she turned around to find Snow standing, frozen by the door staring at her in shock. Emma quickly tried to think what she had done but she was sure her mother was fine when she saw her only an hour ago. Then it occurred to her that she still had some bruising covering her ribs and lower back from being thrown from the horse and hitting the ground. The look on her mothers face was exactly why she had been trying to hide it from her, she didn't want to be seen as weak. Emma wore her battle scares proudly, to remind herself that she was more than a princess she was someone who would always face her battles head on but she was dammed if she was ever going to tell her mother how she felt.

"Emma please tell me you didn't get those bruises from Regina's men." Snow closed her eyes wanting so badly for her daughter to tell her anything but that Regina's men had hurt her.

"Mom I'm fine."

Snow eyes filled with tears. How could she have not know that her daughter was hurt. "Emma don't. Just don't."

Emma watched in shock as Snow turned away from her and walked out the room. It took a minute to process what had just happened before she quickly ran after her mother only to find her sitting on her bed staring into space. Emma slowly approached her, she had never seen her mother react in such a way and she wondered if she should run and get her father.

Emma first went over and sat down on her bed next to her mother and waited patiently for Snow to register her presents but minutes passed and her mother still sat there eyes locked on nothing in particular. Emma started to get worried so she ran out of her room leaving her mother to search for her father.

"Dad!" Emma yelled running into his room.

"Emma what is it." James didn't like the tone in his daughters voice and knew something was wrong.

"Dad it's mom she is in my room just staring at the wall. I think she is in shock or something."

James ran down the hall after Emma and into her room. He couldn't understand Snow suffering from shock, she was usually good with dealing with problems but when he caught sight of her just sitting on the end of Emma's bed alarm bells went off in his head. He went straight to his wife's side and called her name but she didn't answer. "Emma what happened?" He turned to Emma as she stood in a corner in complete worry.

"I don't know I was getting dressed and she saw the bruises on my back and I told her I was fine but she just walked out and sat down here."

"What bruises on your back?" Just as James spoke, Emma turned her back to him and lifted up her shirt to reveal the yellow and green splotches covering her back. Straight away he knew where she had gotten them and even though you could see they were fading it was enough of a sight to put Snow in the current state she is. "Emma why don't you go wait for me in your mother and mine's room, okay."

Emma knew her father wanted her to leave the room but she wasn't about to miss out on what was happening so she agreed and left the room but only to stop on the other side of the door and quietly listen. She knew it was wrong but Emma was always known to break a few rules here and there and right now no one was here to stop her.

As soon as James watched Emma leave the room he moved so he was directly infront of Snow and held her face between his hands. "Snow look at me." He demanded. "I need you to focus on me."

Slowly Snow's eyes drifted from it's spot on the wall to James' blue eyes. Meeting his gaze, Snow broke down into sobs and sunk slightly into her husbands hold. Noticing the sudden change James quickly moved to sit on the bed beside her and cradled her as she cried.

"How could I not have know?" She cried.

"Snow, I didn't even know."

"I'm her mother, I should have known. I should have had Doc check her."

"We both know Emma wouldn't let you. That girl is too stubborn for her own wellbeing." James hugged Snow tighter. Knowing where Snow's mind was going to next James quickly spoke again. "Snow this isn't your fault."

"None of this would have happened if I hadn't let her go out there in the first place." She said shaking her head in her hands.

"You can't blame yourself for that. Regina is the one who sent those men and it's those men who hurt our daughter."

Snow took a minute to think about what her husband was saying and then it all clicked together. "Your right." She said standing up from the bed. "It was Regina. It's always been Regina."

James stood up quickly knowing his wife's change of tone. "Snow..."

"She has continued to come after me over and over again. It's time to put this to an end once and for all."

"Snow are you crazy? What do you think you are going to do. The last two times you went to Regina she tried to kill you." James put his hands on her shoulders and shook them slightly as if it would snap her out of her crazy thinking.

Snow looked straight back into her husbands eyes each seeing the others sorrow and hurt. "I have to. This is my fight Charming no one elses. _I_ need to go stop her. I don't want our daughter in the middle of this any longer. It's time it all stopped and I need to make sure Emma will be safe from her."

James refused to believe Snow, he would find another way without putting anyone in danger. "I won't let you go." He told her firmly but Snow heard the love behind it.

"We have to protect Emma."

…...

Emma was trying to be as quiet as she could as she listened to her parents talk about her from behind the door. It never upset her that they talked to each other about her safety behind her back but to hear her mother say how she needed so much protecting almost angered Emma.

She knew they were acting like parents but to hear the worry in their voices only made Emma feel worst. How could they think she was so useless on keeping herself safe. Yes she got caught two weeks ago but she also managed to free herself as well. And yes she may have been covered in bruises but it was mostly her fault. Every time Emma scratched herself it was her fault- mostly from falling or climbing trees- and every time she learn't from that mistake. How could her parents not see how much of a fighter she was.

As Emma's mind kept racing over what her parents were saying she found herself left with one thought. One bit of knowledge about herself she knew was true. She was no Princess.

She was no Princess who needed protecting or a child who couldn't take care of herself. She was strong and independent and if her parents couldn't see her for who she is then nobody would.

Emma noticed the voices stop and leaned closer on the door for anymore words. When she heard the shuffling of feet just on the other side Emma ran from the door. Just as she rounded the corner down the hallway she heard the door open and her parents voices again. Letting out a sigh knowing she didn't get caught Emma took off again not knowing where she really was going.

Emma slipped through a door closing it behind her and leaning against it to catch her breath. She looked around and found herself in the kitchen where the servants were obviously getting dinner ready until she heard one of them speak.

"Princess are you alright?" One of the ladies asked with a worried expression. But all Emma heard was that one word again. _Princess. _So she took off running again, she only thought that if she ran then she wouldn't have to hear that word again.

Emma finally stopped running to catch her breath and when she looked up she noticed she was actually at the back of the castle where usually only the servants or maids stayed. Not knowing the area very well, Emma continued to walk further around. She was stopped when she passed a small balcony that overlooked the forest. Emma was mesmerized by the landscape. The sun was low, the golden raises almost touching the tops of the mountains that sat behind the thick forest. The site made Emma wonder, wonder what could be out their, out beyond the trees and the mountains and mostly what adventures would be waiting for her.

A smile crept onto her face but it quickly disappeared when she was brought back to reality and the reality was she was a princess. But Emma couldn't help that small voice in the back of her head telling her that that's not who she has to be.

Emma made a snap decision running back to a closet she saw in the hallway by the door. She opened the closet and grabbed out the smallest cloak that was still huge on her body and a sheet from off the top shelf. She walked as quickly as she could back to the balcony without trying to draw any attention to herself and when she got there she looked over the edge. There was enough of a distance for Emma to reach the top of the castle wall if she lowered herself with the sheet then when she was on the wall it should be easy enough to climb down.

Emma tied off the sheet to the side of the balcony and took a look around her, she knew this was very wrong and that if she went there would be no turning back. Her brain was yelling at her to get back inside her parents would be looking for her now but her heart was suffocating and screaming for freedom and adventures so Emma climbed over the side of the balcony, took one last look behind her and slid down the sheet onto the castle wall.

When Emma's feet hit the ground on the other side of the castle wall she ran as fast as she could and didn't turn back. She refused to think about anything but putting one leg infront of the other and getting as much distance as possible.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

**A huge thank you to everyone that has taken the time to leave a review I love reading them and knowing what yous think. Please continue, I love reading what yous think might happen or even what you want to happen.**

**Sorry to keep yous waiting for this chapter and for that I hope to upload the next one by the end of the weekend.**

**...I don't own once upon a time...**

Emma slowed to a walk and tried to catch her breath, she was deep enough into the forest that everything was over grown and had branches hanging out everywhere which only got caught on her over sized cloak. She decided to take this moment to stop but only for a few minutes, looking around her Emma ducked behind a fallen log and sat down. The sun was starting to set and she knew she would have to keep moving if she didn't want to be found.

Emma took off her cloak and studied it half way down for a loose thread. If she was going to need to keep moving she couldn't afford to be slowed down by the over sized material catching on branches. After pulling at a few threads Emma managed to tear half of it off, ripping a straight line right across it. Pleased with her work she place the cloak back on leaving the extra material behind and continuing deeper into the forest. She was happy as the cloak was now long enough to keep her warm but short enough to stay off the ground and it allowed her to pick up her pace.

…...

The sun had completely disappeared behind the trees and now it was only the moonlight that lit up the forest. Emma hadn't stop walking she was too afraid that her parents would find her and drag her back to the castle but she was getting tired and needed some rest. Looking around she spotted a tree that had fallen over another fallen tree creating a small pocket, there wasn't much room but Emma fitted and was protected from the cool night breeze.

She hadn't realised she was asleep until her eyes fluttered open from hearing noises in the distance. Emma waited for another sound maybe it was a rabbit or a deer going pass but when she heard a dog bark she immedently scurried out from under the tree and to her feet to look around.

How could they have found her already. She knew it was her parents looking for her, there were no dogs in the forest only wolves and they howled never barked. Emma couldn't see any torches so they weren't close but if the dogs picked up on her scent (that's if they hadn't already) then it wouldn't be long before someone found her.

Emma had to move quickly but she knew she couldn't go running and making noise for the dogs to pick up. As she jogged as quietly as she could dodging branches or twigs that would crack under her feet she noticed the thicker and greener shrubs growing on the floor. Smirking to herself, Emma knew now how to put the distance between her and the castle. The thick green shrubs ment that there is more water in the ground which ment that a stream was near by knowing it wasn't a river because she would have been able to hear the running water so it was a small stream or lake.

Just as Emma expected less than a yard away was a stream and as she approached it she found it to be no deeper and knee deep. This was perfect to lose the dogs if she walked in the water for a while and got out on the other side the dogs would lose her scent.

She didn't worry about taking her shoes off it would only slow her down and she didn't have that time. If she just got away for the night she could find a village in the morning and get some resources and take off again. Being careful of not slipping on any rocks she moved to the middle of the stream and walked in the water until it started to get deeper and rougher before going to the other side and retreating back among the trees.

…...

The sun was coming up, Emma had been walking most of the night and so her legs were killing her and to top it off she hadn't eaten since the lunch she had yesterday so her stomach wouldn't stop growling. Luckily she found what looked like a trail that crossed her path, it was only a small trail probably from nearby farmers walking to a small village or trading spot. Emma hoped she was right because if she was that would lead her to either a farm or better yet a village.

Walking down the trail a few yards she was soon met with a large clearing, as she got closer she saw a group of small tents that made up trading shops. Emma put the hood on the cloak over her head and tried to keep her gaze down so no one would notice her.

There wasn't a lot of people wondering around but enough to make up a few crowds and keep shopkeepers busy. All Emma needed was a bow and she would be on her way but the only problem was she was going to have to snitch it without being caught.

She wondered up and down checking all the stores for a bow or some sort of knife until she came to the only tent that obviously sold the only weapons there. They had a small range of bows sitting at the side of a table but Emma had to wait for a distraction before she went in and when a small group of three men approached the old man behind the table she saw her opportunity.

She walked to the bows as discreetly as she could, they where very simple designs but that never worried her as long as she just had something with her. As the storekeeper turned to the three men Emma slipped the bow under her cloak and just as she turned to leave and run for her life she caught site of a pocket knife sitting on the table, without thinking twice her hand reached out and grabbed the sharp, shinny blade.

"Hey!"

Emma's head shot up to see the old man now finished with his customer and now had full attention on what she was doing. Her hand tightened around the knife and she took off. The man continued to yell after Emma but she didn't dare turn back, she kept her head down and ran for the safety of the trees again with a bow in one hand and the knife in the other.

She was just about to reach the side of the forest when she ran into something causing her to fall over backwards back to the ground. Emma quickly stood and picked up the items she dropped slipping the knife quickly in the side of her boot and throwing the bow over her shoulder while not bothering to brush any dirt off her clothes until she heard the voice.

"Oh I'm so sorry Princess I didn't see you." Emma hadn't even realised her hood had fallen off her head revealing her face until he spoke.

She looked over to see that she had bumped into a young boy not much older than herself. He was slightly taller than her with a mop of dark brown hair, she could tell by how his clothes sat on him he was fairly skinny but looked like he eat well enough. His clothes were clearly wore out with dirt stains all over his beige pants.

"It's Emma, and I was the one that wasn't looking where I was going so there's no need to appolagise." She went to move around him but he stepped infront of her blocking her pathway.

"If you don't mind me saying, I didn't know that the Princess was one for carrying around a bow."

Emma saw a small smile on the boys lips which only made her glare back at him. "You obviously don't know my mother very well." She bit back making the boy tilt his head to the side slightly amused.

"No your right although I have heard stories." The boy said failing to hid his smile any longer.

She smiled back but tried to step around him again only to have him do the exact same thing and step infront of her again. "What?" Emma questioned not caring if she was being rude or not, she just had to get out of here.

"I was just wondering where our Queen was seeing that your here. I mean I'm almost certain she wouldn't be too far away if your here right?"

Emma was giving the unknown boy her deathly glare but before she opened her mouth to answer back, raised voices and people's excitement made her turn her attention. As she looked behind her down to the other side of the clearing where most of the people now gathered, Emma saw a group of about ten of her father's subjects come riding up to the clearing.

"Oh no." Was all that Emma got out.

She was lost in her own world, frozen on the spot as she stared at the group of people. Emma barely registered the arm pulling her inside the nearest tent until he pushed her down behind a pile of clothes.

"Stay here!" Emma was about to argue but the boy just turned away and walked back out of the tent. A little shocked and confused Emma did what she was told.

It was only a few minutes before he returned back to Emma. "Come on, follow me." She didn't ask questions, she just nodded and followed.

After sneaking around the last few tents and getting back to the safety of the forest they both stopped to check if anyone saw them.

"I guess the Queen wasn't that far away after all."

Emma couldn't help but be angry with the boy. "Who the heck are you?"

She watched as he took a step back, straightened up and cleared his throat as if he was just about to give out some very important information. "The names Daniel." He said as he bowed to her.

"Well thanks Daniel but I best be going." She said irritated and left him placing her hood over her head again. Daniel followed her keeping one step behind, almost bumping into her again when she stopped and spun around to him. "What do you want?" She almost yelled.

"I was just trying to figure you out." Daniel simply stated.

"There's nothing to figure out so you can stop following me." Emma continued to walk but the boy still followed closely.

"Of course there's something to figure out. I've never had the pleasure of being on the run with a Princess before."

"I'm not on the run." She started to say but stopped when she saw Daniel had an amused look on his face.

"So where are you going?"

"Why does it matter to you? Your not coming."

"Why not?" Emma looked over to him to find his face was serious. "I know the forest like the back of my hand and I could show you where to go."

"Don't you have a family to get back to?"

Daniel gave Emma a huge smirk and leaned in closer to her to whisper. "Nah, I'm on the run too."

Emma couldn't help small chuckle that escaped her mouth and sighed. "Okay fine."

"Alright!" Daniel cheered. "Come on Princess let's get going, we are wasting precious daylight."

"Wow wait a minute." Emma said as Daniel threw an arm up in the air as if taking charge and stepping forward. "Firstly if you want to come you have to stop calling me Princess, my name is Emma."

"Fine, I'll call you Emma." Daniel pretended to pout.

Emma smiled at the boys reaction, he always did the opposite of what many people did when talking to her and she couldn't decide if she was intrigued by it or was annoyed by his pushiness.

…...

"We should camp here for the night. We can use the last few hours of daylight to find some food and set up a fire." Daniel informed. "Do you actually know how to use a bow?"

Emma glared him down. It must have been enough because he put his hands up in defense. "I just need to make some arrows to shoot with."

"Okay that shouldn't be too hard how many arrows do you need?"

"Probably only one but it might be safe to make two just for tonight and later we can stock up on more."

"Um I think I'll go look for a few. I mean just in case."

Emma rolled her eyes it was obvious Daniel didn't think she was a good shot but he would just have to find out the hard way.

After about an hour Emma had sharpened out three arrows with her new knife. It was now twilight and they both sat up in a tree quietly waiting for a rabbit or even maybe a deer to pass as Daniel had scattered a small bit of grain on the floor below. Around twenty minutes of waiting Emma was about to speak when a small russel came from some shrubs near the grain. She slowly took one of the arrows and set it in the bow. It didn't take very long for a white rabbit to emerge from the bushes and Emma brought the bow up to her face, lined up her target and slowly pulled back on the string.

"Are you sure you don't want me to shoot?" Daniel whispered to her but before he had even finished his sentence Emma released the string letting the arrow fly down into the side of the rabbit.

"Now do you believe I don't need help?" Emma gloated.

"Beginners luck." Said Daniel climbing down the tree.

Emma laughed and followed. Once they picked up their kill for the night they turned and headed back to their supposed camp. Daniel was talking away mostly to himself when Emma caught something out of the corner of her eye, ignoring the chatty boy she went to see what was behind the tall bushes. As she pushed the branches aside and stepped pass them Emma was stopped by the site.

She stood on a hill that over saw part of the forest and at the end of the forest stood the castle, her castle. Emma had no idea how far she had actually adventured away from the castle and at that moment she felt proud, proud that she had made it this far but deep down she new she felt lost. She refused to let herself dwell on those emotions, it was easy to bury them and easier to only think about what was happening now.

Emma was pulled from her thoughts when she heard Daniel call her name.

"You coming? I'm hungry." He asked.

"Yer sorry I just got side tracked."

…...

It was dark as the clouds in the sky covered the moon and stars but they kept the small fire burning as they added logs of wood giving them the light and warmth they needed.

"Desert?" Daniel asked as he handed Emma a handful of berries he'd picked earlier.

"Yer thanks."

"So I guess the stories about the Queen are correct then. If your such a good shot with a bow and arrow then I guess you got that talent from your mom."

Emma turned and smiled at Daniel. "Are you saying that I _am_ good?"

"Haha well you got it in one shot and it was a made arrow which are always harder to shoot with so yer I am pretty impressed."

They both were exhausted and slumped further down the tree they were leaning against to get more comfortable.

"So why did you want to come with me?" Emma asked after a moments silence.

"I told you. I have never been on the run with a Princess before." Daniel laughed after he saw Emma glare at him. "Sorry but you can't help the truth. I have been moving through the woods for as long as I can remember, living of what it offers and helping people when they are lost. I'm pretty sure there's not a place in the Enchanted Forest that I havn't been to at some stage."

"What happened to your parents?"

"They died when I was really little. I was left with another family in the village but the father was a heavy drinker and he use to take his anger out on some of the kids so a bunch of us ran away one night to the woods. How about you?"

"Me?" She said surprised. "What about me?"

"Why are you out here. You do live in a castle, life can't be that bad."

"It's not much fun when your not allowed to leave and have your parents watching your every step and when they can't they get someone else to. Back there I'm the princess who needs to be watched and protected but out here... Out here I can be who ever I want to be and I don't have to worry about getting scratched or bruised. Out here I'm more than a princess."

"I'm sure being a princess can't all be that bad. You do get whatever you want." Daniel smirked over at Emma.

Emma smiled back. "Not when all you want is to be out here."

"Do you miss them?" Daniel's voice went serious and caring but Emma fidgeted, clearly not a topic she was ready to talk about. "I saw the look on your face when you were looking out at the castle this afternoon."

"I don't know." Emma whispered honestly.

"Well they must care a great deal about you if they have soilders searching everywhere for you."

"It's not that. It's that they care so much that I don't think they know how to let go."

Silence filled the air as they both sat there thinking over what was said. Emma's mind was running crazy and she just wished she could turn it off. Eventually sleep came and she drifted off to sleep but it wasn't long into that sleep before Emma was disturbed.

She was cornered and there where a group of six or so men dressed in black armor coming for her. She was about to run when someone came from behind her and wrapped their arms around her, she tried to scream and get loose but the more she struggled the tighter the arms held her. As the men closed in around her they all laughed among themselves and just as they were about to place a bag over her head Emma's eye shot open and she sat up gasping for breath.

"Emma are you okay?"

Emma looked around her to see Daniel leaning over her with a worried face. "Oh yer, I'm fine."

"You were having a nightmare and calling out."

"Sorry."

"You don't need to apologize Emma, everyone has them from time to time." Daniel said as he hoped back up and sat back down by the tree he was leaning against. "Try and get some more sleep, tomorrow we have heaps of ground to cover."

Emma was shocked at how casual Daniel had acted. He was so different from anyone she had ever met and she liked how she didn't have to be anyone but herself around him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

**Here you go guys the next chapter as always enjoy and if I haven't said it before thanks to all those who took the time to leave a review.**

Over a month had passed since Emma first left the castle for the forest. She and Daniel would spend most of their time traveling from village to village snitching food here and there where they could get it, other than that they would set up camps in the forest for over night. It wasn't long until both of them started relying on each others skills. Daniel knew a lot about the forest although so did Emma from her time with Red but whatever she didn't know Daniel would show her. Emma was the one who always used the bow when hunting mostly because she refused to let him use it but it never mattered, every time she hit her target.

"Are you ready?" Daniel asked as the two of them came to the edge of another village.

"Yep, let's go."

The two of them had the scheme all planned out by now, Daniel would distract while Emma stayed hidden among the crowd and snitch what they needed. Just as Daniel approached one of the stalls he started up a convocation with the storekeeper, he watched out of the corner of his eye as Emma came up behind and inspected everything. She had her hair tied up and her green hooded cloak hung over her face, her clothes where covered in dirt and looked worn out from wearing them so often. It was perfect for her now to blend into the background and people barely gave her a glance.

"Kid if your not going to buy anything then scram, your wasting my time." Said the storekeeper. Daniel looked over to Emma who nodded slightly and walked off.

"Okay sorry to bother you sir." Daniel replied polity and walked away to meet back up with Emma who was waiting by a tree at the back of the village.

"Hey what did you get?" Daniel asked her as he approached. Emma moved her hands out from under her cloak to reveal two swords. "Emma you got swords. When are we going to need them?" He asked confused.

"Well we might run into someone."

Daniel laughed. "Are you looking for trouble these day?" Emma just shrugged her shoulders. "At least tell me you got the quiver?"

"Yes I got the quiver see." She gave him her famous eye roll then revealed the small quiver set with a bunch of arrows from under her cloak.

"Awesome want to get out of here?"

"Yer come on let's go." Emma handed one of the swords over to Daniel and he placed it on the side of his belt as she did the same and they returned to the depths of the forest.

…...

"So do you know how to use one?" Daniel asked stopping to draw his sword.

"Haha is this going to be like when I told you I could shoot with a bow. You still think I have beginners luck?" Emma teased back.

"No you have showed me on more than one occasion that you are good with the bow so I do believe you now."

"So you finally believe me. Wow took you long enough."

"Come on Emma let's duel." Daniel was smirking at her.

Emma took off her cloak and place down her bow and quiver, drawing her own sword. "Daniel when will you learn that I'm not that princess everyone thinks I am."

They both raised their swords infront of them ready for the other to make a first move, Daniel knew Emma wasn't going to make it so he stepped forward tapping his sword with hers. Straight away Emma reacted taking a step back and shielding herself from her opponents jabs. She let Daniel push her back a few more steps while she tried to figure out his rhythm and just when he thought he was about to get the upper hand and pin her back Emma made her move. She jumped forward and striked at his sword catching him off guard and knocking it out of his hands then spun around and pointed her sword at him daring him to make a move.

"So you do know how to use it." Daniel laughed.

"Yer, my dad use to teach me but he never gave me a real one." She said looking at the shiny sword that reflected her features.

"Well since I know you can handle yourself want to go again?"

For the next fifteen minutes the two danced around the forest blocking each others swords, laughing while trying to get the upper hand on the other.

"Come on Emma your good but your still no match for me." Daniel teased as he swung at her.

Emma blocked his swing. "Don't push me Daniel." She warned.

"I guess after all you are just a Princess."

Before Daniel could blink Emma had pushed him back causing him to fall over and drop his sword, this time she held her sword close to his throat but pulled away after a second later. While Daniel recovered Emma walked back to retrieve her cloak and bow. Daniel knew he was pushing it calling her a Princess, he knew it was a touchy word with her but he had to know she could protect herself. From his experience kids didn't do well alone and unprotected in the forest let alone a young girl.

Walking back over to her he could see the hurt in her eyes. It was something she hid well from the world but after spending each day together on the run Daniel now knew better.

"Hey Em I'm sorry."

"Daniel don't worry about it." Her voice was emotionless.

"I just needed to make sure you could take me. I needed to know you could protect yourself because you were right before you never know who you might run into and if you let your emotions get the better of you, you never know what that might cost you." They stared at each other and Daniel was sure that Emma was testing him. He could see she was protecting herself from something and he didn't know what that something was but he had a good idea it was to do with her parents.

"Okay." She finally said.

"You are really good. The best I have ever been up against." Daniel tried to lighten the mood.

"You're just a kid what do you know?"

"Yer but so are you." They both smiled at each other and laughed as they continued their way back through the abundant green forest.

…...**  
**

"So where are we going now? Emma queried, climbing over a fallen tree.

"I was thinking the far side of the forest behind the mountains. It's a long journey but that side of the Enchanted Forest is absolutely breath taking, I have only been there twice because it's pretty isolated. No one really adventures out that far into the forest." Daniel says holding his hand out for Emma to take.

The blond hesitates but takes his hand and balances herself before jumping down to the ground. "Sounds amazing, let's go."

"Okay but not tonight." Daniel looked over to Emma's questioning gaze with a his famous smirk. "I want to show you a great fishing lake just up the road. We can camp there for the night and stock up before the big journey."

"Okay." She tried to sound slightly annoyed but knew Daniel heard the excitement behind it.

The two of them were walking side by side in silence taking comfort in the thought that tonight they will be able to fill their bellies with fish and set up a nice camp for the night. Emma was trying to remember the last time she had fish and was looking forward to it until she was brought from thoughts and all of a sudden alarm bells went of in her head. She focused on her surrounds to figure out what was giving her the edgy feeling until it finally clicked.

"Stop." She whispered as she put her arm out across Daniel's chest to stop him from moving.

Straight away Daniel did what he was told. "What is it?"

"Don't you hear that?" Emma lowered her voice more.

"No." Daniel started to become confused. "I don't hear anything."

"Exactly there are no birds around, you can't hear any animal." She was looking around as if trying to spot something in the distance.

"Something's scared them off." It wasn't a question, Daniel knew the answer but what or who would be out here that the animals where scared of.

Emma stood frozen on the spot and strained her ears to listen for anything out of the ordinary while Daniel placed his hand over his sword ready to use it now thankful Emma had snitched it. Emma tapped him on the shoulder and they moved slowly together taking each step with caution and not making any noise.

For a while it was quiet but as they got closer to the top of a hill voices started to drift through the trees. It was mostly quiet mumbling so Emma and Daniel couldn't make out who was out there but when they got to the top of the hill and looked down they could see exactly who it was.

There were five men in silver armor on horses each one looking around and Daniel instantly ducked down behind a bush pulling Emma along with him. Daniel went to whisper to Emma but when he saw the pale expression he knew her mind was elsewhere. Emma didn't take notice of the men or that fact that they were obviously her father's subjects, the only thing she had her eyes on was the figure who was inspecting the dirt who wore the bright red cloak. She couldn't take her eyes off the red cloak and when she saw the figure stand and glance around her surroundings, Emma almost forgot how to breath. Under the red hood Emma saw the face of her beloved aunty, she was fully focused and had a determined look on her face one that Emma noticed she wore when she was tracking.

"We have to get out of here." Emma quickly whispered to Daniel. "Now!"

Daniel didn't question her yet they had to move so they both crawled on the forest ground until they were out of hearing range. "Em who was that?"

"That.." Emma tried to find her words. "That was my aunty and my father's men."

"What are they doing all the way out here?" Emma gave him a look as if saying that was the stupidest question you could ask. "Oh right. Looking for you."

"No not just looking." She explained. "My aunty is a tracker, and can kind of sense where I am."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's just say she can smell scents that most humans can't and if she picks up on my scent then there is no way that any of us are going to be able to out run her." Emma normally would have smiled at the memory of a younger her trying to out run Red the wolf but right now it only came with the fear of being caught.

"Give me your cloak!" Daniel said taking off his own in a rush.

"What?"

"Give me your cloak." He repeated now handing her his. "I will go up wind and drive them away with your scent from your cloak and you take mine to mix the smell. While I drive them in the other direction you run just beyond that border of trees over there." Daniel pointed to the east. "Keep running for about a two yards and you will be met with the edge of a cliff, at the bottom of that cliff there is a river running below it. Follow it down river until it opens up to a large lake. I'll meet you there tomorrow."

"Wait what?" Emma almost yells as Daniel takes her cloak and stands up to walk off. "Are you crazy?"

"I'll be fine it's you they are after. Just follow the river down stream and hide out for the night. I will meet up with you in the morning. Trust me." Daniel said with a huge smile, running from people is what he was best at.

"Just don't get caught okay?" She couldn't help how worried her voice sounded.

"Are you worrying about me?" Daniel teased.

"No I just know my father and if he somehow finds out that your with me and he can get his hands on you then I'm telling you now that your a dead boy."

"Please Emma you should know me better than that by now. Beside, me and you have to stick together right? Who else is going to put up with your stubbornness or my charming personality?"

Emma couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Haha trust me I know what charming is and sorry to tell you but your anything but charming. Your a mystery all in itself." She stated, glaring at him.

Daniel put his hand over his heart and gaped as if her statement hurt him but it was played of with a huge grin as he turned and walked quietly away, leaving Emma glaring after him.

"Be careful." She whispered quietly after he had disappeared behind a group of trees.

…...

Daniel creeped back to where they saw the group before he started down wind. He wanted to make sure that the lady in red was tracking him and not Emma. Once he was in a position to run in the opposite direction away from where Emma would be, Daniel picked up a stick off the ground. He watched intently as he snapped the stick in half and let the noise ring out around him. The lady in red's head instantly flicked in his direction and hushed all the other men, Daniel waited patiently for a breeze to pick up and when it did he quietly shook the cloak around him allowing the wind to take as much scent from it as possible.

Red was searching the forest for a sign of movement when she was overwhelmed with a scent she hadn't smelt in weeks. At first she wasn't sure but she knew that smell and most importantly the young girl it lingered off so she jumped on her horse and ordered the men to follow. The scent was there and she was determined she was not going to lose it.

Daniel saw them all jumped and start in his direction and that's when he turned and ran as fast as he could. They were on horses and would catch him in no time so he had to get them as far away as he could before they realised it was him.

He could hear them riding up behind him, one of them yelling they had spotted him and he tried to weave in and out among the trees to make it harder for the horses. Before he knew it something had caught his foot which sent him tumbling to the ground and down a small hill.

The wind was slightly knocked from him and by the time he went to stand up he was surrounded by the group of soilders with their weapons drawn. One of the men approached Daniel forcing him to his feet as Red walked towards him with a frustrated look on her face.

"Where did you get this?" Red demanded grabbing hold of the side of the cloak and bringing it to her nose making sure that that was where the scent was coming from.

"I found it." Daniel said in an innocent voice he only used when trying to get himself out of trouble.

"When?"

"Ages ago." Daniel knew the smell of Emma was too strong on the material for him to have had it for more than a few days but he tried anyway.

Red narrowed her eyes down at the boy. "Don't lie! Where is she? How do you know her?"

"Who?" He played dumb looking straight back into the woman's eyes showing her that her intimidation wasn't working.

Red looked away from him and to the soilder who still had him in his hold. "Don't let him go." She ordered and turned back to her horse. "Wait here until I get back."

It was clear to Daniel that the lady was the one who was calling all the shots and so when she rode off back where they all came from he knew he could get out of this situation easy. "Move." Ordered the soilder behind him giving Daniel the perfect time to make his escape.

Daniel pretended to trip over releasing him from the soilders hold and allowing him to quickly take a step back. Standing up quickly behind the man Daniel kicked him causing him to topple over and before any of the others could make a jump Daniel turned and ran off into the forest. He could hear them yelling orders to split up and catch him again but splitting up only allowed it easier for him to lose them and hide.

…...

It didn't take long for Emma to snap back into what she was ment to be doing, she quickly put on Daniel's cloak wrapping it around her as much as the small material would allow. The cloak was half the size of her one that she still had from the night she left the castle, it was warmer and thicker so she could hide herself when passing through each village. Daniel's cloak was more of a cape, it was thinner material and hung to just her knees allowing just enough of it to be wrapped around her torso.

Emma picked up her bow and quiver swinging them securely over her shoulder and out of the way for her to run. At first she quickly jogged to the border of the trees like Daniel had told her as not to make too much noise by accidentally standing on branches and snapping them under her weight. After that she broke out into a run and heading east looked out for the side of a cliff, to her surprise running two yards with adrenalin running through your body felt like a matter of seconds.

Stopping herself before running completely over the edge Emma came to a hault. She leaned over and peeked out over the rocky edge to evidently see the river flowing about 50 feet below.

"Emma?" Came a soft voice startling her from behind, making her almost jump in the air. Very slowly Emma turned around hoping her mind was playing tricks on her and she was hearing things but when she caught sight of the woman in red she knew she was bustard. "Emma it's really you!" Red gasped.

How the heck did she pick up her scent Emma couldn't help but wonder but then her mind went to Daniel and she started to panic. She hoped nothing had happened to him.

"Emma I can't believe it's you. Where have you been?" Red asked in amazement but with a tone that had somewhat a bit of anger behind it.

"Around." Emma said looking everywhere but at her aunty.

"What do you mean around? Do you know there have been people looking for you for over a month now?" Red had started to raise her voice. Something Emma very rarely saw.

"I needed some time."

"Some time? Emma what is going on?" Red was clearly confused and upset but answering all her questions was the last thing Emma had wanted. "Why are you out here and who is that boy back there who's helping you?"

Emma's head snapped up and she saw Red raise an eye brow. "What did you do to him?"

Red was taken back by the young girls tone. "Nothing, we caught up to him and I asked him how he had your cloak but he wouldn't tell me. Who is he?"

"Just let him go. He didn't do anything wrong he's only helping me." Emma glanced down at the water running below, it was quite a drop but it looked deep enough not to get totally hurt besides it didn't matter how fast it was flowing Daniel had said it led to a quieter lake.

Red was getting frustrated with Emma. She had never seen this side of the girl before Emma was clearly distressed but over what. "Do you know what you have put your parents through? What you _are_ putting them through?"

Emma glanced up to meet Red's gaze for the first time and that's when she saw it. All the worry and pain she was causing, it was enough for her look away and take a small step back allowing the heals of her feet to balance on the edge of the cliff. Red noticed the movement and took her own step back as if to tell Emma she was no threat.

"Emma, James hasn't stopped sending out search parties for you everyday and your mother..." Red paused waiting for a reaction out of the blond but Emma continued to stand there with her walls up and a blank expression. "Your mother hardly leaves your bedroom. They thought Regina had you."

"What?" Emma couldn't help wonder.

"They thought you might have been captured by Regina and so they went after her but she only laughed at them and now they only fear more that by not knowing where you are that Regina will get you without them knowing."

"I can't come back. Not yet." Emma mumbled.

"What? Why Emma? Please just tell me what's going on with you!" Red knew there was something more going on that Emma wasn't saying, although the girl hadn't even said much at the moment. "You need to come home, I don't know why your out here but whatever the problem is Emma I _can_ help you. Please just talk to me." She begged.

"I just... I just need a bit more time. Sorry." Emma turned around and jumped as far out as she could in one fluid motion and as soon as her feet left the ground she could hear Red frantically calling out her name.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

**A huge thank you as always to everyone who left a review. Hearing what yous all think is what keeps me writing so don't stop.  
Without further adue here is chapter 7! **

Red entered the front room of the castle where she found James and Snow sitting down in their chairs, Snow was staring off into space in her own world as she usually was while James was awaiting for her arrival as usual after a search.

"Anything?" James asked eagerly standing.

Red saw how Snow briefly shifted her eyes to look at her while she answered the question. "No sorry."

Snow stood up and turned away from them. "Snow.." James tried but she held up her hand stopping him and without another glance in their direction walked out of the room. James felt defeated he was supposed to be the one who held his family together but instead everything was falling apart. He looked over to thank Red for her help as always but saw something different flicker across her face, James studied her for a moment and found she seemed distracted. "Red what is it?"

Red hadn't noticed James was staring at her. "Nothing." She almost said a bit too quickly.

"Come on Red I know you better than that, you can't hide anything from me." He pushed.

"Please James just leave it. I think there are some things left better when you don't know, at least for now."

James was baffled at first by Red's words but the more he thought about the woman's behavior since she came through those doors the more he needed to know. "What things? What did you find Red?"

"James.."

"No!" He raised his voice. "If you found something I need to know."

Red put one of her hands on his shoulder to try and comfort him. "I think it's only going to hurt you more, I don't want to see you or Snow in anymore pain." She said with tears now in her eyes.

"Then please Red. Just tell me, I need to know."

"Okay." She finally said and looked around the room making sure Snow hadn't heard. "Let's go for a walk."

They walked in silence outside through the garden away from anyone else. Red thought if James didn't take her news well then she wanted him to react without any one watching from a few feet away. When they got to the far end of the garden they both sat down on the stone bench that was closed off by a circle of red roses.

Red let out an exhausted sigh and broken the silence. "I saw her."

James moved his hands away from covering his face and Red saw the tears that were falling down his face. "What!" James couldn't believe his ears. "You saw her?"

Red nodded taking in his expression, she could see the love and hope in his eyes. "She was miles from here. At first I caught a bit of her scent so I followed it then I heard someone and we chased them down. It was a young boy about Emma's age and he was wearing her cloak that's why I caught her scent but it turned out that he didn't just happen to have had her cloak, the boy didn't tell me anything but I could tell by how strong Emma's scent was from the cloak that he was with her. So I left the boy with the soilders and back tracked this time following the boys scent and until I realised it had faded into Emma's I caught sight of her." James was listening to every word intently and Red's heart broke knowing how the next bit was going to hurt him. "They had switched cloaks to throw me off and confuse me. When I saw Emma she looked almost afraid and I didn't want to corner her because she was standing on the edge of a cliff so I kept my distance. I asked her where she had been and what was going on but all she said was she needed time and that she couldn't come back at least not yet. I tried to talk to her but I had never seen anyone so closed off it was like looking at a whole new Emma and when I asked her what was wrong she just apologized and turned and jumped into the river below the cliff. Something was going on in her head and I could tell she didn't want to come back, she wasn't ready to come back. I think she believes she's out there for a reason, I just don't know what that reason is."

James had let the tears freely fall from his eyes not even bothering to try and hold them back. "She jumped off a cliff?"

"Yer. I tried to stop her but I wasn't quick enough. I saw her though emerge from the water, she seemed okay and just allowed the current take her."

"Who was the boy?" He wearied, wiping his face with his hands.

"I don't really know. He escaped from the soilders when I left them but when I mentioned him to Emma she was clearly worried about him. She begged me to let him go, from what I could tell they both cared about each other. They both where willing to protect the other."

"How did she look?" This was the question that was most haunting James, he couldn't think that his daughter was out their slowly starving or suffering from an injury of some sorts.

Red was glad to give him some good news to ease his mind. "She looked just like her mother." She smiled making James raise his head back in query. "She looked exactly like Snow did back in her bandit days. I couldn't even help notice that she was carrying a bow with her. She looks healthy James."

"She needs to come home." James voice was broken and his heart was torn, he just wanted his baby back.

"I know and we're not going to stop searching for her. I don't know why she thinks she has to stay out there but we will bring her home I promise."

"What do I tell Snow?" He asked looking up to one of the towers where Emma's room was and he was sure Snow would be.

"James are you sure that's such a good idea?" She couldn't help the worry take over her. "I mean it's one thing to hear that Emma is okay but it's another for her to hear that Emma doesn't want to come home."

"I have to give her something, she is drowning herself in this if I don't give her something then I'm scared I'm going to lose her as well. Red I know why you didn't want to tell us but no matter what, knowing that Emma is well is all that really matters even if at this point she doesn't want to come home. I just have to make Snow see that."

Red was amazed by James's statement, even though he was hurting he still found a light of hope and was determined to make others see it. "We will get her back, I promise." She reassured him and the two of them walked back into the castle to find Snow.

…...

Emma hit the cold water with a smack, her legs tingled from the impact but she didn't have time to worry if she'd injured herself she had to brake to the surface. The current was much stronger than what she had intentionally first though and it was hard to figure out which way was up and which way was down. Gasping for breath she finally broke to the surface and allowed the water to carry her.

For a while Emma had trouble keeping her head up above the water but she refused let the panic over take her, she had to stay focused and come up with her next move for she had no idea what she had gotten herself into.

Looking around she noticed there were no boulder's lying about for her to hit into and knowing therefor no real chance to stop herself from drifting. If she was somehow able to get herself over to the edge then just maybe their would be a branch hanging around for her to grab hold otherwise she would have to wait for the current to slow down.

As the wall of the cliff slowly turned into the side of a hill and then into a slop of the ground, Emma could feel the water slowing down. She looked up and found the current had started to drift off spreading out into a large lake. As exhausted as she was by now the girl knew that if she didn't get to one side of the lake then she would be carried into the middle where it would be much harder to swim from so with the energy she had left Emma paddled to the shore.

It was a hard swim to get to the shore and by the time Emma's feet connected with the solid ground she felt like falling to the floor and dying. Looking up at the sky she knew it was going to be sunset in a few hours and wanted to be dry before the night came.

The lake was obviously the one Daniel had told her about and so she didn't want to adventure to far off if he was going to meet her here. With energy she didn't even know she had, Emma gathered enough dry wood to start a fire and warm herself up. The flickering orange flames let out a form of comfort and Emma soon found herself lost thought as she stared at it's flares.

The sun was setting and Emma cursed herself for letting herself daydream for so long, she wanted to at least find some sort or food to put in her starving stomach. With the last twenty minutes of daylight she had left she decided to quickly collect a few branches to add to the fire later and luckily she just so happened to stumble across a blueberry bush. It wasn't much at all and would provide no satisfaction for her grumbling tummy but it was something. She picked a handful and shoved them into her pocket before heading back to the warm fire to get comfortable for the night.

Emma was mesmerized by how the moonlight touched the top of the lake, the ripples in the water made it look like a staircase she had never seen such a beautiful site. She was quickly pulled from any thought when she heard footsteps behind her and instinctively she reached for her bow lying next to her.

"Wow Em, it's just me!"

Emma had to squint into the darkness to see the figure. "Jesus Daniel you know better than to sneak up on me." She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding but then Red's words rushed back into her mind. "Are you okay?" She said almost running up to check him herself.

"Yer I'm fine. Like I told you." Daniel beamed. Taking in his face Emma punched him on the shoulder as hard as she could. "Ow, what was that for?"

"You said you wouldn't get captured!"

"I got out of it didn't I?"

"Yer your lucky you did because next time they get their hands on you your dead!"

Emma turned away and went and sat back down by the fire. Daniel followed her sitting down besides her, he felt bad for getting her worried he had never really had someone who worried about him before. Now that he thought about it he had never really had a friend like her until now, he was always on the run moving around and it was a nice feeling knowing now that he had someone by his side. "Wait how did you know I got caught? Did that lady catch up to you?"

"Yer kind of."

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked after watching her furrow her eye brows a few times clearly troubled in thought.

"I don't know."

"Okay.." He started slowly knowing too many questions at once is only going to make her shut down. "What did that lady say to you when she found you?"

"She asked where had I been and why I was out here. She said my parents havn't stopped searching for me and that they want me to come home, I told her I needed sometime and that I couldn't come back yet."

Daniel let the silence fill the air for awhile before he asked his next question, he didn't want her to close off but he wanted her to answer the question. "Emma." He whispered her name. "Why did you leave?"

She couldn't help the tears that fell as she spoke. "I don't know." She answered with all honesty. "It was all getting too much. I was listening to my parents as they talked about me, my mother was blaming herself for something the Evil Queen's men had done to me but really it was me who had gotten myself into the trouble. She wanted to go after her just to stop her from trying to hurt me again. All she kept saying was that I needed protecting, I just wanted them to see that I was strong enough to stand up for myself instead they always shielded me away from everything. It never bothered me that they did this because I would always sneak out and break rules without them knowing but hearing them talking that night just set something off inside me." Emma took a deep breath and wiped away her tears with the back of her hand. "I went for a walk to clear my head and stopped on one of the balconies and looked out over at the forest. It looked so mysterious and it made me wonder of what was really out there. Every time I was frustrated I would sneak out with my bow and it would be the best time, listening to the animals or tracking something that was long gone. I just felt free to be who I was and not the princess everyone else wanted me to be."

Daniel listened nodding along with her in understanding. "Is that why you don't like the word 'princess' because of how everyone saw you?"

"I didn't want to be that princess who couldn't come out of her castle because people were out to get her but that's exactly how I felt. I wasn't allowed to go out or be left alone, people frowned upon me when I took my bow out. When I got into trouble everyone would say that's not how a 'princess' would act. I just couldn't take it anymore, I felt like I was suffocating it wasn't who I wanted to be so without a second thought I took off and refused to turn back."

"But Emma, it _is_ who you are. Its not something you can just run away from, being a princess it's part of who you are no matter how hard you try to hide it. You don't have fight so hard to be one or the other because your neither. You are both, your the girl sitting here right now with her bow by her side ready for danger and you are the princess who someday may take over in her parents foot steps. Nobody said you couldn't be both you just have to show people that you _are_ both. Do you know what I thought when I first met you?"

"No?" She looked up at him and met his gaze.

"I couldn't understand at first why you were out here. See everyone that I bump into out in the forest they are all running from something or they are running to something, but not you. I mean at first yes it was that you were hiding from your father's subjects but I could tell it was something more. You were hard to read never saying what I expected you to say and always proving yourself, I found it frustrating to be around which only fascinated me more but then I figured it out. I figured you out. You were never running from something you were searching for something. Now I'm just left trying to figure out what it is your fighting so hard to searching for."

Emma had never seen this side of Daniel before and it was almost too much to take. His voice was so caring as he spoke and she had to look away from him. She was confused and a little afraid and she just wanted to figure out her next step and move on.

"Do you want to go back?" Daniel was afraid of the answer but knew he had to know.

Emma closed her eyes breathing in as much air as her lungs would hold. "Yes, I miss them but I don't think I'm ready to go back just yet."

"What's holding you back?"

"I saw the look on Red's face when she spoke about my parents. I have hurt them really bad and I don't know if that's something I can face. And truthfully I'm scared that they are going to lock me up in one of the towers for good." She said with a slight smile creeping onto her face.

Daniel let out a light snort. "Well if that happens I guess I could always come to your rescue and break you out. At least then we could be on the run for real."

After the light change in mood they continued to put aside all the emotional talk at least until morning and joked about who would be needing to save who in different situations. It wasn't long after that the two of them fell silently asleep, sitting side by side by the roaring fire.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

**Sorry for the delay on this chapter I had a bit of internet issues but not to worry cause here it is.  
Please feel free to leave a review, I strive to hear what yous think as thats who I'm writing this for. Those who already left a review A HUGE THANK YOU TO YOUS!  
As always... I don't own nothing!**

The sun had started to rise up from behind the lake and Daniel was woken by one of the bright razes shining in his eyes. The first thing he noticed was that he was alone and Emma was no where to be seen, he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and got up to have a better look around. When he didn't see her he called out her name. When no reply came he started to panic, where the heck could she be.

Just then Daniel spotted something out of the corner of his eye, it was Emma and as he walked over to her he understood why she hadn't answered him. She was pacing back and forth muttering something to herself, she was in deep thought and hadn't even noticed him approach. She looked completely out of it and if you didn't know who she was Daniel was sure they would think she was losing her mind.

Daniel didn't interrupt her or try to get her attention he just went over and sat down on a rock watching her. She was crinkling her eye brows in all sorts of ways and her nose would twitch to one side as she pulled her lips in thought. Daniel couldn't help the smile that crept onto his face, she looked so innocent and childlike as she paced the ground. But then it occurred to him, she _was_ just a child and so was he.

He had lived most of his life surviving in the forest on his own and it never mattered to anyone how old he was because no one was around. Then Emma came along and she knew just as much about surviving out in the forest as he did, the two of them became close straight away. They looked out for each other, stole together, they protected each other and they survived together and the thing was neither one of them really needed the other but here they were. But that didn't change the fact that she was just a child and not like him, Emma had a family who was looking for her. Who loved her and wanted her.

Suddenly Emma stopped, distracting Daniel from his train of thought. "I know what I'm going to do." She said in a tone Daniel was afraid of. It was the tone she always used before she came up with a bizarre plan that usually ended up with one of them seriously hurt.

"Wh...what?" He hesitated preparing himself.

"I'm going to go see Regina."

Daniel couldn't help that his mouth fell open. "Okay you are officially not allowed to come up with anymore plans. From now on I decide on what we do."

Emma only gave him her famous death stare. "It's the only way I'm ever going to be able to go home."

"Ah Em you could just walk to the castle gates and I'm sure they will let you in. They'll probably tackle you before that so you don't change your mind and walk away but I'm almost certain that they will let you in."

"Daniel I'm serious!" She complained hitting his across the arm.

"Yer so am I. I know why you think you have to do this but trust me it's not the only way."

"Yes it is. If I don't she will never stop coming after me."

"Don't hate on me for saying this but isn't it your mothers fight not yours."

Emma instantly flashed back to what her mother had said that night. "_I have to. This is my fight Charming no one elses. I need to go stop her. I don't want our daughter in the middle of this any longer. It's time it all stopped and I need to make sure Emma will be safe from her."_

"Not anymore. If Regina wants me then I'm going to give her just what she wants."

"I know that your only doing this because you don't want to face your parents and go home. You run from your problems and put up a wall so you don't get hurt but Emma, facing your parents even after all this time is better than going off and getting yourself killed."

"If I do this and I win I won't have anything to worry about if I go home. If I lose then my parents will stop being in pain and will move on with their lives."

Daniel turned to Emma, grabbing her shoulders tightly and squeezed. "No Em you don't take away their pain. You only make it worst if you lose, how can you not see that?"

Emma bowed her head not wanting to look at Daniel's very broken expression. "This is something I have to do Daniel."

"Okay." He slowly said, he knew she was way too stubborn to even consider another idea and Emma looked up at him as if checking to see if she heard him correctly.

"Wait what. Okay?"

"Yer okay. Even though it's probably going to be our last adventure because it's completely a suicide mission but yer I'm in." He told her.

"Um no not _our_.. I do this alone Daniel." Emma was taken by complete surprise that he would want to follow he to the Evil Queen but she couldn't let him. It wasn't fair to ask him to put himself in danger just for her.

"Haha you really think I would let you go by yourself." He didn't even both hold in his laughter but the look she was giving him told him she wasn't impressed by his outburst.

"Well I'm not letting you come."

"Emma have you looked in a mirror lately?" Daniel couldn't hide his smirk because he knew she hadn't actually looked in a mirror lately, when you were living like they were in the forest you never had one let a lone the need for one.

"Daniel if you are pulling the girl card then I going to take this time to remind you about the last time you did that." Last time Daniel had accidentally told Emma she couldn't do something because she was a girl was when she wanted to duel to a hand on hand fight. She just wanted to see how good he was and get a bit of practice in case she needed it. Daniel had said it didn't matter because girls didn't fight and he didn't want to play fight with her, Emma ended up kicking his butt and since then he never questioned on it ever again but mostly because she could just about do everything he could do and somethings even better.

"No." He very quickly said. "But I'm pulling the kid card."

Emma rolled her eyes. "I can handle myself!" She defended. "Besides your just a kid too."

"Exactly! You and me together is equal to one adult."

She found it slightly amusing how his math was working for him. She knew well that both of them together might size up to be equal as one adult but their skills alone were more than most adults had. "Okay you can come but when we get to her castle I go in alone. You turn around and walk away."

Daniel wore the biggest grin across his face as she gave into him. He was never going to promise to just walk away but he wasn't about to tell her so she could change her mind so he just nodded at her.

"Okay then come on lets grab our stuff and get going."

"Yes. That's just what we need to do, pack up and get a head start on our journey to impounding doom." Daniel joked but didn't miss Emma's quiet sneer.

…...

They spent most of the day traveling to the Queen's castle, it wasn't a long journey although Daniel hadn't expected it to be very long as it probable never was a long enough journey for anyone. He wasn't sure how many people had entered as to how many have actually walked out again. The castle was very creepy, it wasn't the colour or shape or anything it was just the feeling you got when you looked at it. It was almost as if anyone who laid eyes on the castle could feel the dark energy that radiated off it.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Daniel whispered as they hid among the last few bushes before the desert surrounded the dark castle.

"Yes I sure."

"Okay so what's the plan?"

Emma seemed to take a moment to think about it. "Well I guess I'm going to just go straight in and you are going to turn around and walk away."

Daniel crossed his arms infront of his chest. "Seriously? That's it?"

"Yes Daniel that's it! Don't even think of coming up with another plan because it's not going to happen. The only life I want to worry about is my own plus Regina wont even give you another look if your with me."

"Okay but if you send me away all I am going to do is go to your parents and tell them where you are." He smiled as if he had the upper hand.

Emma looked at him in shock. "You would go dob me in to my parents!" Daniel pretended to think about it for a minute and then nodded. "Oh well it will probably be all over by the time you go for them and they get here."

"Are you sure about that?" He tested her. "I'm sure they could get here pretty quick if they thought you were in trouble."

"No Daniel. I'm doing this alone whether you like it or not. You have helped me out enough and I can't be more greatful for that. Thank you for everything and I mean everything, I care about you way too much to put you in danger. Please you have to let me do this alone."

"What's happening?" Daniel queried with one eye brow raised. "Is Miss Emma going all soft on me."

Emma couldn't hold back her smile, he always seemed to make every situation better with a smart comment. "Just promise me you will let me go in alone!" She had to make sure he promised.

Daniel really didn't want to, he knew this was a very bad decision but Emma had gotten close to him somehow over the past month and they did everything together in order to survive. Maybe that's what he was having trouble with, the fact that they have relied on each other so much that he now doesn't want it to end. No he told himself he wasn't about to let her go off by herself, what kind of friend would he be then.

"Daniel?" She asked getting his attention again.

"Yes, yes I promise." He replied with a very tight smile.

"Thank you. Thanks for everything." She turned to walk out away from the concealed spot by the bushes but stopped when he called out after her. Emma felt guilty for how he looked knowing it was her who was hurting him and she wondered to herself when would she stop hurting the people around her.

"Try not to get caught okay?" He pleaded.

"Are you worrying about me? She asked with a big smile planted on her face. "Because you should know me better than that by now."

Daniel smiled along with her. "Be careful."

Emma nodded to him and continued to the front of the castle refusing to acknowledge the tears building up in her eyes.

…...

Emma hesitantly entered the front of the castle, it wasn't dark like she had expected or scary it was actually to her surprise quite beautiful. Everything seemed to have it's place and she was sure she wouldn't find one speck of dust anywhere. The colours were warm colours like red, purple, blue and it all blended very nicely together but no matter how nice everything looked she couldn't help the eerie feeling the lingered in the air.

She was quiet moving slowly through the castle listening out for any form of movement, she was sure she would have spotted site of some guard by now. Emma crept up the stairs and came to a closed door, very slowly she pressed up against it hoping that it wouldn't make a noise or someone be on the other side and see her. When the door opened enough for Emma to peep through see leaned her head close to it and searched the room. It was a big room but mostly empty with only a chair and a mirror in it, Emma went to close the door and move on but was surprised to hear a voice behind her.

"Oi!"

Emma spun around to see a guard in shiny black armor approaching her, straight away he drew his sword and she took off slipping past him and running down the hallway. She could hear the screaming and yelling of the one man then all of a sudden more voices joined in mumbled with all sorts of orders. Emma had no idea where she was going, she ran down one hallway only to end up in another before having to turn around seeing a group of men coming at her.

Before long Emma realised she was running out of places to run to and more and more men were chasing her. Soon she was cornered and had only one option to retreat into a room hoping that the double doors were open and not locked.

Emma pushed open the wooden doors with a huge force making them swing open and hit the wall behind. The room consisted of a fire place, a large mirror hanging on the wall and a big chair planted in the middle of the room. It was similar to the other room she had stumbled upon. Fairly empty.

Emma knew there was no where to hide in the room and turned to await all the guards to capture her but turning to face them she saw they had all stopped outside the room. She had no idea why they were just all standing there, they did have her cornered after all but Emma couldn't help the edgy feeling in her stomach. That's when she heard the grievous voice.

"Well well well who could have possibly caused so much ciaos among my halls."

Emma turned to looked around the room she was standing in again, she saw as Regina emerged from behind the large chair standing and stride over to her with a smile spread across her face. Regina flicked her wrist and the doors behind Emma closed but the girl refused to show a reaction in any way. Regina only seemed to be more intrigued by this and smiled more.

"My my dearie, you have certainly grown havn't you." Regina stopped a few feet infront of Emma then paced a full circle around her. Emma made sure she never took her eyes away from her. "How old are you now?"

"Shouldn't you know, after all you are my grandmother." Emma glared.

"You know standing there you look very much like your mother, she would be so proud." Emma knew she was talking about the bow she was carrying over her shoulder, it wasn't the first time someone had made this comment. Almost everyone that saw her use a bow made a relating comment to her mother.

Regina was very amused by the child's bravery, she had a lot more fire in her than her mother did at her age. "So I hear you ran away from home and I can't help but wonder why that was." She said changing the subject.

"Does it really matter to you, it's not like your going to pretend to care either way. I just thought while I'm out here I may as well meet the woman who is trying to kill me." Emma had no idea where her bravery was coming from, after all this was the woman who had been the cause of all her nightmares latley.

Regina let out a laugh only making Emma glare even harder at her. "Oh dear I'm not trying to kill you no no."

"Then why send out people to capture me?" Emma asked slightly confused.

"Not to kill you. Just to contain you, having someones fate in your hands is much better than having someones blood on your hands." Regina lent down to Emma's level to whisper. "It holds more value to your enemy."

"So you really just wanted me so you could gloat to my mother and threaten her by claiming to kill me?"

"Your a smart girl and now that I have you, I can finally get my revenge. All thanks to you for wondering into my castle." Before Emma could make a move Regina spoke again. "Guards take her to the dungeons and lock her up, it's time dear Snow White paid for what she did."

Emma struggled against the two guards that each had hold of one of her arms firmly. It did very little and the men's hold only gripped tighter. "Why!" She yelled. "What did my mother do to you that would result in you going after her over and over again?"

Emma watched how Regina's face turned from it's evil smirking mask to a pained and loss expression. It was very brief and Emma wondered if she had seen it at all but then Regina turned with the flick of her black cloak trailing behind her, strode out and left the room without another word.

…...

Emma was taken- more like dragged- down a dark stone staircase and below the castle to where the dungeons were. There were three cages side by side at the far end of the room and the middle one was the one they threw Emma in. As she landed on her stomach the men laughed among themselves and locked the door with a heavy looking key. One said something to the other only igniting the laughter more but Emma wasn't listening. By the time she had caught her breath and stood to her feet they were walking back up the stone staircase.

What had she gotten herself into, she thought. She never had a plan and now here she was stuck all because she didn't want to face her parents. She had ran because her mother had wanted to protect her and go after Regina herself, she had ran because she couldn't bear the thought of losing her mother. It was easier for her to deal with her own pain than to see her parents in pain, at least she could control her own emotions. Everything was finally hitting her, what was she thinking leaving her home like she did she knew what it would do to her parents but this whole time she refused to acknowledge it. Yes she didn't want to be a princess but Daniel was right, it's who she was and she couldn't change that fact.

Emma decide that she couldn't feel guilty, she couldn't be upset and angry with herself for the decisions that have ended her here. This was her moment, she now had to use everything she new to get herself out of this situation before she hurt anymore people she cared about. She vowed to herself that Regina would not win and get that satisfaction to hurt her mother, Emma was her parents daughter and would now fight not for her life but for her family and their happy ending.

Emma was determined to find a way to escape she inspected every crack in the stoney wall and every bar that made up the cage. She searched for something to pick at the lock and even tried to dig at the hard dirt that made up the floor. She was running out of options and fast after one attempt failed after the other.

Frustrated, she leaded back against the wall at the back of the cell and groaned. She slid down the wall and fell to her knees and rested her head on her arms, letting her dirty blond hair cover her face. She was about to give up and let her emotions take over her when she saw movement out the corner of her eye.

Slowly rising her head came a whisper from the shadows just behind the stairs.

"Emma?"


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9:**

**Thanks as always to everyone who reviewed, followed or favored :) **

Emma squinted into the darkness to see the source of where the voice came from until finally a dark figure approached the cells and emerged from out of the shadows.

"Daniel!" She wined and rolled her eyes even though she was so pleased to see him. "What are you doing here?"

"Saving the damsel in distress." The brown haired boy smiled.

"I told you to walk away. To leave."

Daniel pulled a key from his pocket and set it in the lock before turning it and opening the cell door. "Come on Em, you know I never listen to anybody. Besides did you honestly think I was going to let you have all the fun."

"Daniel she will kill you if she finds out your here." Emma stood and walked over to him stopping mere inches away from him so he could see how serious she was. He always made jokes and now Emma feared he didn't know what he was getting himself into.

Daniel's gaze met Emma's and he noticed something was different, she had a different look in her eyes. It was almost as if her walls were no longer there as if she wasn't hiding from anything anymore. This only made him smile more. "Like I told you before Em, we are in this together. Me and you stick together no matter who's fight it is."

"Why?" Emma had never had someone stand by her side no matter what decisions she had chosen. No matter what wrong choice she may have made even when others say no, no one has continued to stand by her. Yes her parents were always been encouraging but nothing like Daniel has showed over the last month. He was following her into an unknown battle and more than likely risking his life, that was something she couldn't understand.

"What do you mean why? We're friends and that's what friends do." He said it as if it was that simple and as if it justified everything. To him it really was all that simple. "Are you coming?"

Emma shook her head as if to clear her mind. "Yer lets get out of here before she comes to get me."

"What no 'lets go mess with her and make her pay'?"

Emma picked up her bow and quiver that was by the stair case that one of the guards had taken off her before they locked her up and threw it over her shoulder but ready to make a quick grab for it if necessary. "No, I'm not going to stoop to her level if I don't have to. Anyway she is going to go absolutely crazy when she finds out I'm not in that cell."

Daniel stared at her with his mouth open and an eye brow arched up. "Wow, is this the same Emma that left me in the woods?" Emma just rolled her eyes. "Something happened to you in that cell." He eyed her very closely and he could she her walls going back up. This was the Emma he knew and it made him smile at her sudden change. "Something good happened to you." And her slight reaction to his words confirmed what he was thinking. She was ready to go home.

…...

Daniel and Emma crawled up the stairs and opened the wooden door just enough to make a crack to see through. Luckily there were no guards in sight so they pushed it open further and stepped through into the hallway. Creeping down through the castle both were sure to listen out for any noise or movement before they were caught. They were almost at the end of the hallway when they heard metal crashing against itself, it was the sound armor made when someone was running. Quickly Emma grabbed Daniel by the shirt and dragged him through the closes door that was near them.

This room was very open and looked like it was used for meetings on gatherings. It opened up and joined with another room, the ceiling was high and held up by large stone pillars and the floor was made of marble. Emma didn't have time to register anything else because they could hear angry footsteps approaching them getting louder and louder with every passing second.

The both of them fled to the corner of the room behind a large sculpture that hid in the shadows. Both of them remained as quiet as a mouse as they listened for the voices to enter the room.

"What do you mean she's gone. Where is she!" Regina demanded voice full of range.

"We don't know, someone got the jump on one of the guards that had the key. By the time he came to and went to check on the girl she had already escaped." Came one of the soilders voices.

Emma flicked her head up to look at Daniel knowing well he had been the one to get her the key but he was already giving her his famous smirk and just shrugged his shoulders.

"Well she's obviously not here alone now find her and who ever the hell is helping her."

Emma popped her head around the side of the sculpture just enough to see Regina pacing the room. She was frustrated and every time she turned her black cloak would follow like it was cutting through the air around her.

Just then two more soilders came running into the room making Regina pause from her striding. "What is it?" She asked harshly.

"Your majesty, the King is here with a group of his men."

"Find the child and bring her to me, kill whoever gets in your way." With that Regina and her two soilders left the room.

Emma was trying to process the fact that Regina just threatened to kill whoever stood in her way to get to her but it was what the soilder said that was stuck replaying in her head. Daniel was quietly waiting for Emma to put all the pieces together and for a moment he thought that she wouldn't get it but he knew better, Emma didn't miss a single thing.

"The King?" She whispered out loud. "But.. The only.." Emma looked up at Daniel and the corners of his mouth were pulled down slightly as if in apology. "What did you do?"

"Em I'm sorry but I had to make sure if I failed then you still had a back up."

"Are you crazy you brought my father into this. He's about to go into battle with her!" Emma knew she should be whispering but she couldn't help her anger.

"Yes a battle that this morning you wanted to fight alone. If anyone can help us it's him."

Emma had no idea how he had gotten to her father so quickly and truth be told she was now really scared. Not scared of the battle that's about to go down but scared to come face to face with him and look up and see the disappointment in his face. She had made some bad choices which had resulted in hurting a lot of people and that was something she new she had to deal with but also something she didn't want to face.

"Come on lets go before someone comes back." Daniel tried to reassure her with a warm smile. "I promise Em, everything's going to be okay. You'll see."

…...

Daniel was leading Emma out of the castle the same way he got in, they were almost to the door that led outside when a loud crashing noise came from somewhere down the hall. Yelling and screaming with the sound of swords crashing together came next.

"Dad." Emma breathed realising that her father and his men had arrived.

"Emma come on." Daniel urged continuing to the door.

"No I have to find my dad."

Emma took off running back to where the battling of swords were coming from but Daniel was quick and grabbed her arm before she got more than a few steps. "We'll go outside and find one of his men that way we can get out of this castle, it's not safe if Regina's men see you."

"It doesn't matter anymore."She saw Daniel's face fall.

"Em I thought you were over all this talk. I thought you were ready to go home." He pleaded. Daniel had gotten her this far without anything happening to her and he didn't want to ruin that now.

"I am, it's just that I know my dad is in there fighting like hell because he probably thinks Regina has me. If he gets hurt Daniel it's all my fault and that's something I don't think I can live with so right now I need to go find him and get out of here."

They stared at each other for a moment before Daniel finally gave into her. "Fine let's get you home."

Emma smiled gratefully at the boy who always had her back and for the first time since she has been with him she felt the relief of finally being able to accept that she wanted to end the day at home.

She ran as fast as she could through the halls following the sound of metal crashing and clanging against one another with Daniel trailing closely behind. They ended up ontop of a balcony looking down over the front hall room. There was a mix of black armored soilders fighting against silver armored soilders who were trying to push their way further into the castle.

It was complete ciaos at first as Emma frantically searched the crowed for the one person she needed to lay her eyes upon. She didn't realsise she was holding her breath until she saw the tall blond man who was wearing his casual white long sleeved shirt and black riding pants fighting his way through the wall of soilders.

Emma had never seen him fight like this before. With every swing of his sword he seemed to gather more power and force. He was clearly determined but there was something more that was driving him to continue fighting.

She turned to head for the stairs so she could go to him but was immediately stopped.

Daniel had both his arms securely gripped on her wrists so she couldn't get away. "Wait, you going down there is only going to get yourself captured."

"Well do you have a better idea because it looks like they need some help down there." She straight away felt bad for how harsh her voice had sounded and was about to apologize but Daniel didn't even register it and continued.

"The chandelier." He saw pointing to the roof in the middle of the room. "Can you hit the rope with an arrow, cutting it and making it fall?"

Emma's stared at him with wide eyes. "Are you crazy! There's no way I can shoot that besides I would have to shoot the same spot at least two or three times before it tears enough to drop."

"Come on, you can hit any target. Just concentrate." Daniel took the quiver from her and handed her an arrow, they about six arrows left which if Emma concentrated then he knew she could do it. If she did this it would stop them from momentarily fighting and hopefully allow them to by sometime to get out without being seen.

Emma lined up her bow and arrow and took her aim. She pulled back on the string and released sending the arrow flying, just skimming passed the rope holding the chandelier. "I can't do it. There's no way I can hit it." She cried.

Daniel handed her another arrow. "Yes Em you can. Block everything out, feel the weight of the bow. Pretend your out in the forest again shooting a target you set up on a tree. You always take the shot and step back making the next shot harder than the one before. Well this is the next shot. Think about your aim and what your doing and pull back on the string. You _can_ do this."

Daniel stood back and out of her way while Emma once again lined up her bow and arrow. She took a deep breath and held it, slowly pulling back on the string. Blocking out everything around her she glared down her arrow and let the string slip from her fingers. The arrow let out a quiet whistle before it hit the rope and bounced off making the chandelier start to sway side to side.

Emma turned to Daniel and they both smiled before Daniel handed off another arrow for her to shoot. Emma set up and took her aim again this time with the confidence that she was going to hit her target once again.

…...

James was fighting his way through the room, Regina's men were holding them back and keeping them in the one room to try and control them. He had one thing on his mind and that was to find his daughter and no one was going to stand in his way.

James noticed Regina's men were starting to gain numbers and were getting the upper hand, he looked around and most of his men were being pushed to corners of the room. That's when he heard the whistle of an arrow fly across the room, at first he thought Regina's men were about to ambush them but when he looked up to see two small figures standing near the side of the balcony above him his heat swelled with love and joy.

For a moment James was lost in his surroundings, he completely zoned out and watched the one girl he has longed to see. He watched how Emma interacted with the boy and he handed her another arrow, she closed her eyes as he whispered in her ear then all of a sudden she opened them and raised her bow. At first James had no idea what she was trying to aim at but then she let the arrow go and it flew across and hit the top of the chandelier.

James couldn't help the pride he felt, his daughter had just shot an impossible shot and here she was lining it up again to take another shot. He could say it was luck but there was no denying her raw talent as she hit her mark for a second time making the chandelier sway more.

James was about to move and race up to his daughter when one of Regina's men stepped infront of him and raised his sword. Pulling his eyes away from the child above him he blocked the attack and continued to fight making his way slowly to the stairs that led to Emma.

…...

"This is it." Daniel said as he handed Emma the last arrow, she had only hit the rope twice and this was hopefully the one that would tear the last thread.

Emma took her last aim and let the string go, the arrow hit the rope and fell to the floor like the others. The two of them watched as the chandelier swung side to side waiting for it to fall but nothing happened.

"Em.." Daniel started but just then out of the corner of his eye he saw the chandelier drop.

It made a huge bang as it connected with the floor and even cracked the floor tiling around it. Everybody in the room stopped and looked at the fallen ordainment, bits of glass and metal scrap thrown everywhere. When all the faces then looked up to the ceiling the two of them quickly retreated away from the edge as not to be seen.

Daniel and Emma looked at each other and burst out laughing, they couldn't believe they had just done that and Daniel held out his hand for Emma to hit it. "Well done Em, that was amazing." Emma just continued to smile broadly.

"Yes well done my dear."

Emma spun around to find Regina standing right behind her. "What do you want?"

Regina flicked her wrists and Daniel was automatically thrown backwards into the wall.

"No!" Emma yelled in fear.

But Regina didn't let her turn to look and see if Daniel was alright, she held Emma's chin firmly in her hand. "I want what I've always wanted dearie. You."

"What will you have left?" Emma asked, keeping her eyes connected with Regina's gaze. "What will you have left when you finally get your revenge? Everything you feel you put it towards that anger against my mother but what happens when that revenge disappears? Regina what are you left with? Who are you left with?"

Regina seemed to be taken back by the child's words and then she looked into her eyes. Those familiar green eyes that were exactly as her mothers and then all of a sudden Regina found herself not staring at the 12 year old blond but the 12 year old brunette who couldn't keep a secret.

Emma watched the anger over take the woman's features, maybe that had not been the best thing to ask her but still she couldn't deny the truth. Regina lifted her hand above her head and Emma saw the purple sparks start to erupt from her palm so she closed her eyes and braced herself for what was about to happen.

"Emma!" Emma opened her eyes to see her father standing a few feet behind Regina.

"Well I guess I'll get to kill two birds with one stone after all." Regina turned away from Emma and faced James. "You always seem to come to the rescue don't you Charming."

"You stay away from her Regina."

"Or what?" Regina taunted and then next thing Emma knew she was thrown across the room as the air was push from her lungs and she hit the side of the balcony.

Emma pulled herself to her feet and watched as her father dodged each of Regina's blows, she had to think of something to do before her father got hit. Looking around she saw nothing that would help her and when she looked back up Regina had her father cornered and her hand raised. A small ball of fire formed in Regina's palm and it continued to get bigger and bigger as she spoke.

"It's a shame that your not going to be able to be by your wife's side for when I finally destroy her heart. But at least this way you get away pain free instead of also having to watching me hurt her."

"Don't you touch her!"

Emma wasn't too sure who they were really talking about but she couldn't stand back and watch what happened next so she threw herself into the side of Regina knocking them both to the floor. The fire ball left Regina's hand and missed James but landed down on the ground floor starting a fire itself.

"You stupid girl!" Regina screamed as Emma stood to her feet but then Regina held her arms up above her head and smiled, the whole castle started to shake and the ground started to tremble. Cracks formed in the stone blocks on the floor and Emma fell to her knees not being able to balance from all the movement.

"Emma!" She heard her dad call out but bits of rubble from the roof started to fall to the ground and crashed in between them.

Emma looked back over to where Regina was but she wasn't there anymore, she had disappeared. Everything was now falling fast and the walls were shaking threatening to crumble any second. There was dust and smoke everywhere and when she looked over to where her father was a moment ago he too was no longer there. Instead there laid a fallen pillar.

The panic started to sink in. She had to get out of here before everything caved in around her and she was caught or even killed. When she took her first step though, the ground let off a tremble and a crack formed in the stone under her foot, it then occurred to her she was on a balcony.

Emma made a leap for closer to the wall just when the floor beneath her feet gave way. Reaching her hands out for anything she tried to grip onto something. She had made it to a stable spot but another tremble made her foot slide causing both her feet to slip over the edge. Desperately the blond tried to pull herself up, it looked to be a good twenty feet drop which ment she would get seriously hurt if she fell.

Trying for the second time to swing her leg back up, Emma used every muscle she had to hold herself up. She managed to hook her left leg back up but as she leaned forward she found it harder to hold herself up. Just when she thought she was about to lose her grip and fall back over the edge she felt two hands grip the back of her shirt and pull her up.

The hands never left her when she got back on the ledge and stood up, looking up at who it was she couldn't help but give off the biggest smile ever.

"Daniel!" She beamed and threw her arms around him.

Daniel smiled back at her and took hold of her hand. "Come on follow me, we have to get out of here."

"Wait what about..."

But Daniel cut her off. "Trust me."

And that was all Emma needed to hear for her to take the boys hand and quietly follow him through the smoke and dust without hesitation.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10:**

It took what felt like five whole seconds before Daniel had led Emma outside into the fresh air and safely away from the falling building.

"You okay?" He asked her scanning his eyes all over her for any sign of pain.

"Yer I'm fine." Emma replied still trying to catch her breath.

Just then behind her the whole castle crashed to the ground throwing up a huge cloud of smoke and dust. Emma watched it in complete shock. Regina had done that herself, she had destroyed her own castle.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion as the smoke settled and Emma saw what was left of the building. Groups of men gathered and started to assess each others injuries but no body looked too seriously hurt, only covered in dust. She hadn't realised she was looking for him until she heard Daniel's soft voice next to her.

"He's okay." He whispered in her ear, making her spin back around to face him. "He's just around the otherside."

"How did..."

"I saw him being pulled out my some of his soilders before I found you. He's okay, there were four of them holding him back from trying to run back in again." Daniel studied her face as he spoke and he saw the tears start to form in her eyes. "I think he really needs to see you."

Emma's head snapped up and she meet his gaze. "I've hurt them bad."

Daniel gave her a warm smile, at last she wasn't denying that she wasn't ready to go home. Now all that stood in her way was fear. "At some point we all hurt the ones we love but that doesn't ever stop them from loving you."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because." He gave her his famous smirk and she narrowed her eyes knowing the next thing he said would probably earn him a punch to the shoulder. "I know you Em and anyone else that knows you like I do means that they already know that they can't stay mad at you for very long. If they do it never really ends well for them."

Emma didn't hit him like she normally would have, instead she tried to hide the smile that crept onto her face.

"Are you ready to go home Princess? Emma watched Daniel brace himself for the punch he was sure to get from her but she only nodded instead. "I'm glade." He said softly and placed an arm around her shoulders and spun her slowly around.

Emma's breath got caught in her throat the moment she saw him. Her father was walking around aimlessly searching the collapsed building. She felt Daniel's hands squeeze tighter around her before he slightly pushed her forward. Her legs took small step after small step, her eyes never leaving her father.

Two soilders walked up to him, she watched them pat him on the back and mumble something in his ear but he didn't even seem to acknowledge their presents. Emma stopped when she was close enough to see his facial expression which was masked in pain and there were tears freely falling from his eyes which were glued on something in the distance.

Both of the soilders froze when they looked up and noticed Emma. Someone else let out a gasp next to her but she didn't dare move her eyes away from her father.

"Dad?" Her voice sounded broken and childlike.

At the sound of her voice James instantly snapped out of whatever it was that was consuming him and when he turned his head to the side and caught sight of his precious daughter he rushed over to her. "Emma!"

Emma watched the flash of pure joy take over her fathers features as he rushed as fast as he could to her side and Emma only closed the distance between them quicker. She ran into her fathers open arms and crashed against his broad chest. James lifted her with ease holding her tightly to his body as if she might disappear at any moment.

"Dad." She cried into the crook of his neck. "I'm so sorry."

"Oh Emma, I thought I'd lost you."

"I'm so sorry." She repeated.

"Shh Em, it's okay." He tried to sooth. Right now nothing mattered only the fact that he was holding his daughter safely.

…...

James finally pulled Emma back and placed her back on the ground to get a better look at her. He kept his hands firmly on her arms and knelt down to the ground so he was eye level with her. He brushed a lock of her hair back behind her ear and ran his thumb over her cheek and swept away her fallen tears. Other than her red eyes she looked to be okay and more importantly unharmed but he needed to hear her confirm it so instinctively he voiced his worries.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

Emma smiled widely. "I'm okay."

"Are you sure? Nothing fell and hit you did it?" James now ran his hand over her head trying to see if there were any cuts hiding among her hair.

"No I got out before it all fell." She let her father fuss over her as she stared back at him. She never knew just how much she missed him until now. She had always never allowed herself to think about her parents for the very reason so she couldn't miss them. His eyes darted all over her, checking for cuts and bruises. His cheeks were stained with tears of his own and his eyes were full of worry.

"Your hands are they okay?"

She hadn't even noticed her hands until she looked down at them, James was holding them carefully in his own. They were grazed and bleeding but not too badly, it must have been when she was trying to hold herself up. "Their just grazed, they'll be fine." She told him but that didn't stop him from grabbing the end of his shirt and start carefully wiping away the blood and dirt.

"My lord." Came a voice next to them, Emma looked up to see it being one of her fathers soilders. "The horses are ready." He told them.

Emma watched her father nod to the man before he turned around and walked away again. She felt her father's hands slightly tighten around her own and something more than worry almost fear flashed across his face. It was very brief as soon as it was there he had hidden it just as quickly, if she had blinked she would have missed it.

"Ready to go home?" Emma heard the quiver in his voice. She could tell he was afraid she was going to turn around and run, that was proven when his gripped tightened even more with every second of silence.

"Yes please." She nodded and James pulled her back into his arms and picked her up again as he stood. "Wait." She said suddenly as he started walking back to where all his soilders were waiting. Emma pulled away from her father while he lowered her to the ground. "Daniel." She said as she broke away out of her fathers hold and ran to the brown haired boy who was walking away in the opposite direction, back to the lining of the forest.

"Daniel!" She called out again. Hearing his name he turned back around. "You didn't think you could get away without saying goodbye did ya."

Daniel smiled at her, he really was going to miss being around her. They always had a way of bringing out the best in each other, always making each other smile. That he truly was going to miss, the bickering and teasing. "I thought for a second you were the one that was going to get out of it."

"Why don't you come with us. You could come stay at the castle for a while."

He let out a soft chuckle. "Come on Em, you know me. I wouldn't do well in the city." Emma did know that, he hated the crowded villages just as much as she hated wearing dresses. "Besides I don't want your dad to interrogate me, if that happens then I don't think I could charm my way out of it."

"I told you before, you suck at being charming."

"That's just a difference of opinion." He smirked which only got him an eye roll from her.

"I'm going to miss you." She tried to hold back her tears that were threatening to fall but failed miserably.

"Don't worry I'll be around. I might even visit you."

"Haha yer right. You can't lie to me anymore." Emma knew he wouldn't ever go to the actual castle, the only way they would see each other again is if they crossed paths out in the forest.

"You never know." Daniel shrugged his shoulders. "Oh here, this is yours." He moved the bow from over his shoulder and held it out for her to take.

"That's okay you can keep it, your going to need it more than me."

Daniel looked the bow over in surprise then shook his head. "Nah, I can always get another one besides you never really let me shoot it before, let's not pretend that you are suddenly now the sharing type."

Emma didn't hold back on the punch that she gave him which made him wince but smile even wider. She took the bow from him and threw it over her shoulder. "Thanks. For everything really."

"No worries. If you need anything... ever.."

"You'll know. You always know before even I do." Emma couldn't hold back anymore so she threw her arms around him and let the tears escape. Daniel had helped her so much that she wasn't sure she could say the words goodbye. How do you say goodbye to someone who knows you as well as you know yourself. "Just promise me that you'll be careful and you won't do anything stupid like follow someone who is going in after the Evil Queen. Please Daniel, not anyone. Ever."

Daniel wanted to laugh and crack a joke like he would always but the fear in her voice was more than clear. "Only if you promise me that whatever happens you won't ever run."

"Okay." She whispered into his shoulder.

Daniel pulled her back and made her look straight at him. "No, if I'm going to promise to always be careful and never be stupid, then your going to have to promise me back. I won't keep mine if you won't keep yours. No matter what it is your not allowed to run, not even for a second."

Daniel locked his eyes with hers as if he was daring her not to promise. "I promise." She said in a low voice and he could tell that she would keep it.

"Okay now go on, your dad hasn't taken his eyes off us and I think he's about to come over here and make sure your not changing your mind."

"Wait, take this." Emma moved her hands to the back of her neck and undid her necklace then held it out infront of her by the chain, letting the swan pendent hang infront of them.

"Em no, I know how much that means to you there's no way I could take that away from you."

"I want you to have it. When I see you again you can give it back to me okay."

Daniel held out his hand as she dropped in into his palm, he looked at it for a moment before closing his fist around it. "When I see you next." He promised with a huge smile before turning back to the edge of the forest.

"Hey Daniel, be careful!" She yelled out.

The boy turned briefly back to her while still walking away. "Are you worrying about me, because you should really know me better than that by now Princess."

Emma couldn't hide the huge smile that was spread across her face. "I do know you and that's exactly why I'm worrying." She yelled back at him before he turned away from her completely and disappeared into the forest.

"Emma?" She heard her father come up behind her.

She turned to face him but kept her head down. James knelt down and lifted her chin so she would look at him and when he caught sight of the tears pouring from her green eyes he used both his thumbs to brush them away. "Dad can we go home?" She cried even harder.

James' heart broke at the sight of his daughter, he had a million questions for her to answer and a lot of punishing and grounding to do but right now all that mattered was that she was here and she was coming home. James picked Emma up again and held her tightly as he walked back to the group of soilders waiting for him. He didn't care that she was more than old enough to walk, his daughter was upset and if he could hold her and give her any sort of comfort than that's exactly what he would do. Emma's cries only turned into soft sobs and James wonder for moment if his daughters heart was just broken for the first time.

…...

James knew everything they had to deal with could wait, right now he had to fix everything. They all arrived back at the castle and rode straight to the stables before dismounting their horses, the whole ride no one had spoken a word as everyone was caught up in their own thoughts. Emma jumped off from behind her father and took the reins as she waited for her father to also dismount. When he had jumped off Emma started to lead her fathers horse back to his stall and put him away but James cleared his throat pulling her from her thoughts and stopping her.

"Dave, could you take the horse back to it's stall and wash him down please." James asked one of the stable hands who immediately gave a quick bow with his head and took the reins from Emma giving her an apologetic look. Emma just smiled as best she could and thanked him.

Emma followed her father out of the stables and back towards the castle, she kept her eyes on the ground and waited for him to start.

They walked in complete silence through the castles front doors so Emma couldn't help notice the few heads turn and whisper her name in shock. She was only just realising what she had put so many people through and with every surprised face she passed the worst she felt. This time she didn't block out the guilt she felt, she knew she deserved it so she told herself to deal with it.

They were just entering the front room when she heard the familiar voice which caused her head to slowly rise.

"Oh my god, she's okay!" Emma barely got anytime to prepare herself for the embrace. Red pulled back and like her father, she frantically looked her up and down. "Are you hurt?"

"No." Emma whispered knowing that saying anymore than one word would make her voice break and bring her back to tears.

"What happened?" Red asked looking up to James for the answer.

"I'll have to tell you later, right now I need to go find Snow." James replied making his way to the stairs. "Red can you watch her?"

"Of course."

"Wait what?" Emma asked a little confused. "What do you mean? Where _is _mom?"

Red's face fell and she looked over to James. James just bowed his head. "Em she's upstairs, I just need to let her know your here."

Emma looked back and forth between the two. She was clearly missing something. "Why isn't mom here with Red? Dad I know you came to get me and I know Red was here waiting for me so why isn't mom here?"

"Emma.." Red started.

"No don't Emma me. What's going on that your not telling me?"

James nodded to Red before he turned to Emma. "Emma your mother doesn't know your back. She doesn't know that I left this morning to come and get you."

"Why?" She asked slowly.

"Because we couldn't afford to give her any false hope in case I didn't find you." James saw Emma was still completely confused so Red jumped in.

"Sweetie when you left, your mom she was really upset and every day she got upset even more."

"Emma your mothers not in a very good place with herself at the moment and I need to talk to her before you see her."

Emma's eyes went wide as she took in her fathers words. "You have to let me see her!"

Red was the first one to try and stop her. "Honey your mom doesn't want you to see her like this." She tried to comfort the girl by putting a hand on her shoulder but Emma just shrugged it off the moment she felt it touch her.

"I did this to her! It's all my fault so you have to let me fix it." Emma tried to run pass her father but he managed to grab hold of her. James pulled Emma to his chest and waited for her to give up struggling against him. "Let me go." She cried before she went limp in his arms.

James held her up and waited for her to get hold of her emotions. "Okay Em. You can see her."

"James.." Red tried to argue but he only shook his head.

"Emma's right, we have tried a hundred times to get through to Snow and nothing has worked. I think Emma's the only one who can."

Red didn't seem too sure with James' idea. Yes he might be right in fact he more then likely is right but just want would it do to Emma when she saw her mother in the state she was in. Emma was always blocking out emotions and never showing anybody anything except today. Red had never seen the child express so much at one time and it was defiantly not only taking a toll on her but as well on Emma.

James lifted Emma's head so he knew she was listening to him. "You can see your mother once you clear your head. I'm not letting you go in if you have to much running through your mind."

Emma nodded understanding what he was saying. He was right, she needed to get a grip on her emotions before she did anything else so she shook herself mentally and wiped away any tears that were on her face. She walked over to one of the chairs that were in a far corner of the room and took a seat. She could feel her fathers and Red's eyes watching her every move so she closed her eyes and focused on blocking it all out. This is what she was good at, hiding everything behind a wall.

James and Red watched in amazement how Emma seemed to transformed in a matter of minutes. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths then opened them again this time with everything pushed away.

"Are you sure this is a good idea James?" Red asked in a low voice so Emma couldn't hear them.

"I don't want to hurt either one of them but I just don't see any other way. I lost Snow the moment I lost Emma and without Emma I don't see Snow coming back."

Red nodded knowingly. They did lose Snow the moment Emma left and now that they have her back all Red wants back is her best friend.

"I'm ready." Emma said as she approached them.

It was like James was looking at a different person than the one he just brought back from the woods. He placed a hand on her back and guided her towards the stairs, once he got to Emma's bedroom door he stopped.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked one more time. Emma could only nod, not trusting her voice. "Okay I want you to just remember that she doesn't know your here and she still thinks your out there somewhere. I'll be waiting right here if you want me okay."

Emma turned away from her father and placed a hand on the door, she took a deep breath and prepared herself before slowly pushing the door open enough to slip through and enter the room.

...…...

**I have the next chapter half outlined but I'm not entirely sure where I want to head this story to next. I'm thinking of winding it up with a few more chapter because I'm running out of ideas. if yous have any ideas or there's something you would like to happen im more than willing to hear ideas :)**

**thanks to all of you views you really are the best!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11:**

**Sorry guys, this chapter did not want to write itself. I had a lot of writers block and I wanted to try and make sure that everything that Emma was thinking or feeling was being expressed.**

**... I don't own anything :(**

Emma very slowly and cautiously slipped through the door and closed it as quietly as she could then leaned back against it. For the first time she moved her gaze away from the floor and looked around her room. It didn't take long for her eyes to focus in on the figure laying on her bed.

She had her back to her so Emma couldn't see her face, she seemed to just be laying there on top of all the sheets. As Emma walked forward and approached the bed she noticed more details in her mother, her skin was a lot paler than Emma had ever seen it and she could tell by how her dress was laying over her body that she had lost weight. It was more than likely from not eating much.

Looking down at her mothers figure, she knew why her father and Red hadn't wanted her to see her like this. Snow looked like a ghost. Emma couldn't believe what she had done, what she had caused. She had no idea her absents would cause so much pain, she had ran because she didn't want to cause her mother anymore pain but all she had done is just that.

Emma moved around to the other side of the bed so her mother would notice her presents and snap out of what ever it was that was holding her under but Snow had her eyes closed. For a moment Emma wondered if she was asleep but the dark circles under her eyes told Emma she hadn't got much of that at all.

Emma went to reach out and touch her mother when she noticed what she was holding in her hands. Snow had Emma's baby blanket tucked under her head and clenched tightly in both her fists, she was holding it closely to her face. Emma took a deep breath and knelt down besides the bed as she hovered her face over her mothers to wait for a response.

"Mom?" Emma whispered as quietly as she could. Snow let out a quick staggered breath but other than that he didn't open her eyes or register that she had heard the child. "Mom?" She said a little louder but still very softly. This time Emma knew her mother had heard her because Snow squeezed her eyes closed as tight as she could.

Snow could hear the voice and she so very badly wanted to answer reply and yell out but she couldn't find her voice. She thought her mind was just playing tricks, it wouldn't be the first time she had imagined her daughters voice calling out for her. So Snow kept her eyes shut and as tight as she could, it would only make everything worst when she opened her eyes to look around and find her daughters room once again empty. She would rather swallow in her imagination then allow herself to be faced with her reality.

Emma watched as her mother refused to open her eyes, she knew Snow didn't believe it was really her. She watched as a single tear escaped from her mothers tightly shut eyes and Emma couldn't hold back any longer as she placed her hand over her mothers and squeezed it as tight as she could. "Mom, I need you to open your eyes. I need you to be okay and look at me so you know I'm here." Emma broke into a sob. "Please mom, look at me."

Snow heard her daughters pleas. She would do anything to stop her daughters cries no matter what kind of tricks her mind was playing. How could she ever deny that voice anything. So reluctantly she opened her eyes.

Emma waited for her mothers eyes to slowly flutter open, at first she kept her eyes down but when she saw that her gaze was set on their hands, Emma gave her another squeeze and Snow's eyes snapped up to her.

"Emma?" Snow voice was hoarse.

"I'm home mom."

At first Snow couldn't trust her eyes, she hand to prove to herself she hadn't totally lost it so she reached a hand out and cupped her daughters face. When she felt the warm touch of her cheek beneath her palm she slowly sat up in astonishment.

"Emma."She repeated but this time her voice was full of relief and joy. Emma placed her hand over her mothers that remained on her cheek and nodded, Snow reacted by throwing her arms around her daughter. "It's really you." She cried.

"I missed you so much, I'm so sorry I hurt you."

Snow held her daughter tighter in her arms and like no time had passed, she went straight back to her old motherly mode. "Hey, hey." She soothed. "I've got you now Emma. Everything's going to be fine, I promise." And the two sat there and cried into each others arms not daring to let go.

"Hey come here." Snow said pulling Emma back down to lay on the bed next to her. All she wanted to do was hold her daughter and Emma didn't argue, she slid down and curled up next to her mother. Snow wrapped an arm around Emma's torso holding her body closely to her own while her other arm slid under the blonds head to be used as a pillow. Emma found her mothers hand that was pressed to her stomached and intertwined her fingers with her mothers slightly longer ones, that's how they stayed for the next hour just taking in each others presents.

…...

James was trying his best to be patient and not ears drop but with each passing minute it was getting harder and harder. From the moment they found out Emma had gone, Snow had went into denial and when she faced herself with the ugly truth she blamed herself. Snow had told herself over and over again that if she had just been a better mother and noticed Emma more nothing would have happened. James knew this because after a week of searching for Emma, Snow had had a huge break down and told him as such. Ever since then she didn't leave Emma's room and if so only for short amounts of time, she refused to eat just about anything and when James tried to talk to her she shut down and cut herself of from him.

James couldn't hold back any longer, he had to find out what was happening between his girls. He hadn't heard either one of them from outside in the hallway and he didn't know whether to take the silence as a good thing or a bad thing. Pushing the door open he only wanted to catch a glimpse of them inside and see that everything was indeed fine but when he scanned the room, he couldn't see Emma anywhere. He was starting to raise panic when he opened the door further and stepped in the room, he didn't know if Emma had disappeared again or not. But as he walked over to the bed where his wife laid as she had for many nights, James caught the sight of the blond curls that fanned out on the bed infront of Snow. He couldn't help wonder if the absents of Emma not being seen in a room would forever bring a sort of panic or alarm to him.

James couldn't take his eyes away from the two figures laying together on the bed. Snow had her arms securely around Emma's small frame and their fingers were locked together. Looking down at his wife he could tell she was asleep, something that he wasn't sure he remembered she had last done. The soft snuffle he heard only confirmed her deep slumber.

He reached his hand out and brushed away a few stray hairs out of his daughter face when she slightly flinched and opened her eyes. It took a moment but Emma's eyes finally connected with her fathers and she saw the smile that spread across his face.

"Dad I'm sorry." Emma whispered looking straight at her father with a guilty expression.

James just glided his thumb across her cheek. "Not now Em. We'll talk in the morning."

Emma suddenly felt even worst, she knew what was coming but having her father set a time for the conversation only seemed to make everything sound worst. "But I am.." She tried again.

"In the morning." James repeated cutting her off.

Emma shifted her eyes back onto her mothers sleeping face, as badly as she wasn't looking forward to the morning now she knew anything was worth it if she could take away how much she hurt her mother. This was just going to be the storm before the sunshine and she knew it was something that just couldn't be avoided for very long.

…...

James had sat down on a chair by the side of the bed and watched over his wife and daughter as they slept. Snow hardly flinched at all more than likely because it was the first peaceful she had had in a long time but Emma seemed to be restless in her sleep. Every now and again James would see her eyes flutter open but only long enough for her to look her mother over and close them again.

James only got a small amount of sleep himself before he woke again to the early sun shinning through the windows, he didn't even care how sleepy he might have felt he just couldn't seem to tear his eyes away from his two girls.

Snow also woke when one of the suns raises seeped through the window and into her eyes. Opening her eyes at that moment was like waking up to magic, Emma still laid out next to her and there hands still lock together. The sun shone around Emma's figure and Snow couldn't help think that she looked like an angle.

Snow was lost in her daughter sleeping face when she felt the hand slip onto her shoulder. "Hey." He whispered quietly as not to wake the child.

For what felt like the first time in ages Snow turned to her husband and smiled. "She's really home?"

James's heart broke knowing by the sound in her voice Snow was still unsure if her mind was playing tricks on her so he gave her his most charming smile ever. "She's really home."

Snow turned back to her daughter. "How?"

"I brought her home Snow, I promised you I would."

"But why did she go?" This is a question she has asked herself everyday and need to know the answer to.

"I don't know. But we will find out when she wakes up." James rolled Snow back over to face him. "How about you get some fresh cloths on before she wakes up. I'll watch her if you like?"

Alarm suddenly took over Snow, she still was wrapping her head around the fact that her daughter was laying next to her and the thought of leaving and coming back to find her gone again was devastating. "No, I want to stay until she wakes up."

Snow carefully stood up off the bed, she wanted to stretch and she couldn't do that laying in bed whilst trying not to disturb Emma. Once Snow was standing, James took the opportunity to look her over. He had lost her to her own world and now he just thanked the lords she was returning to her normal self, he placed his hands on the sides of her face and rubbed the circles under her eyes with his thumb. Already after the short sleep she had managed to have the circles were fading away and when her green eyes connected with his blue one James couldn't help the tear that escaped his eyes. He missed his wife and having her stare back at him was a moment he didn't want to end.

Snow stepped up on her tippy toes and kissed James lightly on the lips, James only deepened the kiss more when he felt her sightly pull back. Snow had to admit to herself she missed kissing her husband and was only just realising now how much she had shut down from him. "Thank you." She breathed still inches from his face. "For bringing our baby home."

James replied by pulling his wife back in for another kiss which was cut short when they both heard the light groan from beside them.

Emma woke and opened one eyes slowly. Once her eyes focused in on the light she looked over to where her mother was. She sat up almost too quickly as she noticed the empty bed and her head swirled with the sudden movement and she threw her hands over face in attempt to still the fuzziness whipping around her in her head.

"Emma, honey are you okay?"

Emma moved her hands to find her father sitting across on the bed from her with a worried expression and her mother hovering closely behind with the same face. "Yer I'm fine, I just sat up too quickly and got a head rush."

James had his hand already on Emma's forehead checking for a temperature or sign that she wasn't fine. "Are you sure. Nothing hurts?"

Emma's mouth twitched up into a small smile. "Yer I promise, I'm fine."

"Good because I think it's about time we all talked."

Emma gulped and straightened herself to sit up against the head board of the bed. She took a pillow and sat it on her lap to hide her sudden anxiety, both Snow and James took their seat on each end of the bed so they could face her.

"Em we need to know why you left that night." James was the first one to break the silence as Snow kept her eyes down. "What happened?"

"When you asked me to leave the room I did, but I stayed at the door and listened to the two of you talking." Emma said ashamed as she lowered her gaze away from them. "Mom you were so upset with my bruises and I couldn't take it. I heard you say you wanted to go after Regina because of what she did to me but really it wasn't her that hurt me, it wasn't even the men that hurt me. I was the one that threw myself from the horse and I was the one that tried to get away only to fall again. You were saying how much you needed to protect me but I just wanted you to see that maybe I didn't need as much protecting as you thought." Emma stopped and tried to control her tears. "I felt like I was trapped and I went to clear my head but the more I thought through everything the more I felt like I didn't belong here. I didn't know what to do or how to feel and my thoughts were getting too much so I decided to escape to the one place where I always felt free, the forest. Turns out I still needed help and couldn't just face everything by myself."

"Why didn't you just tell us how you felt? You know you can come to your mother or I for anything Emma." James asked as Snow remained silent, she couldn't believe that her daughter had felt this way.

"I didn't know how I felt at the time. All I knew was that it was getting too much. I made a snap decision and refused to turn back. I didn't realise really how much pain I had caused until I saw Red and it scared me."

"Emma, why did you go to Regina. You know how your mother and I feel about her."

"That's why." She said to her father. "I thought I could sort everything out, I thought I could prove to you's that I was strong enough to face her myself. All she wanted was me and if I gave her just that I thought everything would end. I thought by going to her the only one that would get hurt was me and after that everything would be fine again. Everyone would be safe again."

James could tell his daughter was having a hard time expressing how she felt, he didn't completely understand what she had been thinking but knew what she had felt. "Honey what about now, do you still feel trapped here?"

"No." She whispered looking up at her father. "I found out that even if I am here I can still be me, it took me awhile but I know that now. It felt like I was trying to be somebody I wasn't when I was here and that all I was doing was trying to only be what everybody wanted me to be. Then I was out there I didn't have any expectations and nobody wanted me to be anything."

"Sweetie we never want you to be anyone but yourself. I wish you had just talked to us." Snow spoke for the first time making Emma look up at her. "I'm so sorry for over reacting but Emma..." Snow took her daughters hands in her own. "Please try to imagine what it feels like to be responsible for something that you love so much. I can't lose you Emma."

Emma looked up at her mother and then to her father. "I so sorry. I truly didn't mean to hurt you."

Snow pulled the child close to her and rubbed circles on her back to sooth her. "I know sweetie but please let us know what your thinking, even if you don't know how you feel at the time if you come and see us we can help you okay?" Emma nodded into Snow's chest.

Emma finally pulled back from Snow's embrace and James placed a hand on her head. "Why don't you go get washed up and into a clean pair of clothes okay kiddo."

"Okay." She said giving a small smile at her father and standing up from the bed.

Once Emma left the room and into her wash room James looked over to Snow who's eyes hadn't left where Emma had disappeared. James reached over a took her hand in his own giving it a squeeze.

"She feels so lost." Snow whispered.

"I know Snow. I know."

…...

Emma was outside in the royal garden swinging absentmindedly on a swing that hung from an oak tree, Snow was at the other end of the garden talking to someone but Emma noticed her mother's eyes hardly left her. She was glad to get outside it seem she was able to relax more and think everything through, she was interrupted though by the familiar red figure approaching her.

"Hey Red."

"Hey." The lady greeted back with a smile and took a seat on the other swing that hung next to the one Emma was on. "So, your dad told me what happened." She said not wasting anytime.

"Yer I was pretty stupid."

Red looked over at Emma. "Yer you were." She pause and Emma looked back at her. "But I can't deny how brave you must have been. I just wish you had come back with me."

Emma cringed at her words. "I'm sorry Red, I really am but I just couldn't at the time."

"It's okay, I think I'm starting to understanding it all a bit better. Just don't ever do something like that ever again."

Emma smiled at her aunt. "Okay."

"So what made you change your mind?" Red asked kicking the ground making her sway back and forth.

Emma remained still and kept her eyes focused on Red. "I was so ready to prove myself to the world that I refused to acknowledge who I really was. I was trying so hard to be me but I was pushing aside half of what made me. It wasn't until Daniel told me that I am both when I finally realised how wrong I had been about everything."

"Daniel the boy that was with you?" Red slowed her swings to plant her feet back on the ground.

"Yer." Red saw the smirk that masked the blonds face. "I met him the first day I was out there and he offered to help me out and we just kind of stuck together since then. We watched each others back and moved around together."

"You became close friends." Emma knew it wasn't a question but she nodded her head anyway. "Your dad said he was with you when you where at Regina's."

"Yer he was kind of saving me." Emma laughed, looking back on it. "That morning, after seeing you I decided to go see Regina and try to end it all. I told Daniel not to follow me in and to walk away but he knew I was going in without a plan and so when Regina locked me up in one of the cells, Daniel came in and got me out. Then I found out that dad was there and instead of taking our chance to escape he followed me back to look for dad. I thought he was crazy for going along with me the whole time and that's what I told him but he just shrugged it off like it was no big deal. He was a really good friend. Still is."

"Where is he now?" Red asked curious that they were close yet decided to go their own ways.

Emma's smile faded at the memory of saying goodbye yesterday. "He..." She tried to find the right words. "He's still got some things to do in the forest."

"Doesn't he have someone looking for him? He only looked about your age."

"Yer he's about a year older than me but not many people are looking for him."

Red decide not to push anymore on the subject so she nodded along. Looking up she noticed Snow walking over to them and couldn't help be amazed at how different she looked. So very much like Emma the two could be over flooded with emotion then push it all aside and mask themselves for everyone to see and then deal with everything when their ready, and more than likely alone. "How are things between you and your mom." She quickly asked.

Emma looked up to see her crossing the garden. "Good actually but that only makes me feel worst because I know she's angry at me, I mean she has to be, I hurt her so bad. She's trying to pretend she's not but I'm just waiting for her to explode almost as if she's still in shock and any minute it's going to be like any old time when I have gotten into trouble."

"Maybe that's why." Red looked down into the child's green eyes that matched her mothers. "She knows it's not like any old time. Part of her is more than likely telling her that she knows you have been punished enough and learn't your lesson while the other half is probably screaming 'are you crazy' but the mother inside her just wants to hold her child and never let go. She's never had to deal with this much emotion before and I'm sure if you just talk to her you both will figure it out."

Emma smiled up at her aunt. Red had always been the one who talked her though most of her troubles and was glad she had her to call as family. "Thanks Red." She quickly said before Snow fully approached them.

"What are you two up to?" Snow greeted beaming.

"Oh nothing much, just having a bit of a chit chat." Red answers standing from her swing.

"Well I think it's about time for lunch, Red did you want to join us?"

"No that's okay, maybe next time. I should get back and check on Granny you know how she is these days." Red gave Snow a hug before turning to Emma smiling. "Next time Em I think we need to talk boys and your going to have to tell me more about this cute boy who kept offering to help you."

Snow's head snapped over to her daughter as Red spoke only to see Emma rolling her eyes and let out a sigh. "What cute boy?" She very quickly asked but Red was already walking away laughing to herself.

"It's nothing Red's just being... well Red."

…...

**thanks everyone! Sorry it took a bit longer to update but I'm having trouble with a few ideas and how to get where I wanna get to next. If anyone has a scene they want me to focus on then let me know and I'm more than happy to write what yous wanna read.**

**like I said I'm having a bit of trouble writing and even finding the time to write these days so I can't promise when the next chapter will be up but as always I will try my hardest. Thanks again and I hope yous enjoyed the chapter :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12:**

**hey guys I'm so very sorry, don't think I have forgotten yous because I haven't! My laptop froze up and shutdown and I lost this chapter so I had to rewrite it all. Again I'm so very sorry to have kept you guys waiting you are the best and I hope this chapter makes up for it and ill try my hardest to find extra time to write so the next chapter is up soon.**

**thanks again to everyone (I can't seem to thank yous enough) for your support.**

Emma entered her parents room and found her father pulling back the bed sheets and moving pillows, getting ready for bed. She looked around further but noticed her mother wasn't in the room.

"Hey dad." Said, making herself known.

James spun around with a pillow in his hand. "Hey sweetie. Aren't you supposed to be in bed?" He questioned with a smile on his face before throwing the pillow to the other side of the bed.

"Couldn't sleep. Where's mom?"

James sat down on the bed and leaned up against the headboard then patted the space next to him indicating for Emma to come over. "She's getting herself a hot coco." Emma nodded knowingly and jumped straight up into the oversized bed without hesitation and crawled half under the blankets. James chuckled at her actions. "Whats up Em?" He queried after catching a glimpse of her eyes. He knew there was more to the fact that she just couldn't sleep and instinctively he felt the need to comfort her.

The blond bit her lower lip. "Dad, how did you get to me so quickly? How did you know where I was?"

James was momentarily caught off guard, he didn't expect her to wonder about that, he thought she already knew. "I got a message, a messaging dove came early that morning with a note. It said you were caught at Regina's castle. As soon as I read it I assembled a group of men and we road straight to Regina's." Emma didn't even notice the smile that had crept onto her face until James spoke again. "Hey, whats with the smile?"

"Dad..." She started not even bothering to try hide the smile, knowing well that she wouldn't be able to. "I only just decided to go to Regina that morning, it took us the rest of the morning to get there which wasn't long before you would of got there." Emma looked up to see her father scrunching his eyebrows in confusion at her. "I was only caught by Regina for a little while before you showed up."

"Then who sent the note?"

At that Emma's smile only got slightly bigger. "I told Daniel what I was going to do and he knew I wasn't thinking straight and what I would do. He knew I was going to get caught so he sent for you as a back up incase he failed to get me out on his own. He knew what I would do before I did. He knew I was ready to come back." She mumbled the last bit more to herself in realisation.

Silence passed over the two of them as they both sat there in thought. James was the first to speak. "How about we go find your mother and join her before she drinks all the hot coco and we run out?"

Emma agreed with an eager nod of the head but knew they would never run out, her mother never let the coco bag get anywhere near empty before someone had to go get another bag.

…...

"Hey babe, what you doing?" Emma heard her mothers soft voice behind her. She was leaning on the railing of the balcony from her room, resting her head on her hands as she gazed out over the forest. Snow came over and rubbed the blonds arm drawing her attention.

"Do you ever miss it?" The child asked.

"Miss what?"

Emma didn't take her eyes away from the horizon as she continued. "Miss being out there?"

At first didn't realise what Emma was talking about, then she figured she was talking about her days as a bandit and living in the forest. Snow knew her answer, it was an easy one. "Yes." She stated.

"What?" Emma suddenly asked confused. She was sure her mother would say 'no'. "Yes?"

Snow smiled at her daughters reaction. "Yes, I miss my days living in the forest. Everyday you woke up with a sense of complete freedom, that you had the choice to do what ever you wanted and no one was going to stop you." Snow paused and placed an arm around her daughter and pulled her close to the side of her chest. "Then I met your father and things started to change, we ended up fighting for each other and wouldn't stop at anything to find one another. Once we took back the kingdom and got married I soon fell pregnant, now I have everything I could ever possibly ask for. Yes I miss the adventures but I am more than happy to give them up if that ment to be a mother and a wife. To be _your_ mother Emma and to love you is all I need." Snow placed a kiss on top of Emma's head and there was a moment of silence before Snow softly spoke again. "Do _you_ miss it Emma?" She asked slightly afraid of her daughters answer.

Snow watched as her daughters eye brows pulled together as she thought over her answer. "Yes." Emma whispered and Snow couldn't help but release a shaky breath she was holding. Hearing her mothers trembling breath Emma directed her gaze from looking out over the forest and turned to face her mother. "But if I'm out there, I miss you more."

Snow pulled her daughter into a tight embrace. "I love you Emma. Forever and always."

"I love you too mom." Emma mumbled in return into her mothers shoulders.

The two were interrupted by a knock at the door and as they pulled apart they saw it to be one of the guards who Emma noticed was part of her fathers council, standing by the open door. "I'm so sorry your Majesty but Red is here and seeking for you. She is waiting with your husband in his office." His face was very composed but Emma heard it in his voice that something was up.

"Thank you Chris." Snow said dismissing the guard before turning back to her daughter.

"Why is Red here?"

"I don't know but why don't you go down to the kitchen and get Cindy to make us a hot coco and I'll find out?"

Emma was about to question her mother again when she decided it was best to just wait and do as her mother told her so she gave Snow a quick nod and headed off to the kitchen.

…...

Snow walked into library then over to where James' office room was. She was curious why Red was here and waiting in the office for her, usually Red just walked the halls until she found herself or Emma. Catching sight of Red's face as she entered the room told her something was wrong and she wasn't going to like it. James was standing against the wall with his arms crossed infront of his chest deep in thought which only confirmed that something was indeed wrong.

Snow's face went pale and her expression droped. "What happened?" She imedently demanded.

James was brought back from whatever thought he was lost in as Snow spoke and he walked over to his wife. "Red has something she needs to tell us."

"What? What's wrong?" Snow was talking in a rush and James straight away placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her.

"Where's Emma?" Red asked moving closer to her best friend.

Snow was slightly taken back. "She's in the kitchen getting a some hot coco. Why? Red what's going on?"

"I was out visiting one of the close villages looking for some things to pick up for Granny when I heard a comotion by a small group of people. Two of them, a father and son was out in the woods hunting not far from there when they stumbled upon a bunch of Regina's men." Red sifted her weight from one foot to the other while Snow stood there waiting for her to continue. "They said they saw Regina's men wrestling a boy and locking him up before riding away with him. Snow, they said the boy was yelling at them saying 'you'll never get her'."

"Never get who? And why does Regina want a boy?" Snow asked as James remaind silent already knowing what Red was telling them.

Red stared at her best friend with eyes filled with sadness. "Emma. He said 'you'll never get Emma'." If it was possible Snow went even more paler and James quickly moved his hands to hers ready to catch her if she stumbled. "I asked the man to describe the boy and by the sounds of it, it was Daniel who Regina's men have caught."

"Daniel, the boy who stayed with Emma and brought her to you?" Snow indicated to James. They both nodded. "Why would Regina go after him?"

This time James was the one to speak. "Regina saw him with Emma and more than likey knew they got close and thinks he knows how to get to her."

"Or hoping that Emma will go to him." Red cut in.

"Are you sure it's Daniel who Regina's men got?" Snow question.

"I'm almost certain it's him, besides who else would Regina want to capture. I can go back out and ask around and make sure that it's him." Answered Red.

"You better Red because not matter what we have to free that boy but if it isn't Daniel then we don't have to worry Emma over it." Snow turned to her husband once she spoke noticing him slightly stiffen and to see his lips pulled together tightly. Knowing him all to well she knew what he was thinking. "Charming we can't keep this from her if it's Daniel Regina has. We have to tell her, it wouldn't be right otherwise."

James realases a heavy breath. "She shouldn't have to worry at all. She's supposed to be living carefree and not worrying about the troubles _we_ had."

"Do you mean like the troubles you had when chasing Snow around and fighting for true love. Maybe Emma's worries are all for _her _true love." Red joked giving James a small smile.

Snow watched James's face harden and she couldn't help her own smile at seeing him turn so protecive. "She's joking Charming." She said calmly placing a hand on his chest. "But they are friends and we have to respect that and be honest with our daughter."

"What if this is all a trap to get to Emma. She has been hurt enough by that woman."

"Charming if that boy gets hurt by Regina or worse, Emma _will_ find out somehow, she always does, and if we didn't tell her when we new then we are the ones that are going to hurt her the most. Emma trusts us and I will not betray that trust." Snow stared back at her husband, the two silently sharing their own concerns until they hear a voice call out.

"Mom?" Emma's voice call out. "Dad?"

"In here sweetheart" James called back before staring back into his wifes eyes. "Are you sure this is the right decision?" He asked just before Emma came into the room and Snow gave him a confident nod before taking his hand and giving it a tight squeeze. A silent gesture that told him she was thankful.

Emma entered the room slowly to find all three pair's of eyes on her. "What's going on?" She said the words slowly as she glared her eyes in suspision. When they all continued to look at each other instead of her she knew they had been talking about her. "What? What did I do?"

Red let out a chuckle at the childs reaction to them but looked over at Snow waiting for her to break the tention between them all.

"You didn't do anything wrong sweetie, why don't you go see Red off then we can go get those hot coco's."

Emma nodded at her mother then turned to her aunty. "Your not staying?"

Red shook her head before throwing an arm around the child's shoulder and leading her out of the room. "Nah I can't this time I have a few things I need to do." Red threw Snow a determind nod over Emma shoulder so she didn't see, earning a greatful smile back from her.

Snow mouthed a 'thank you' to Red and quickly called out to her daughter before they were completely out of the room. "I'll be down in the kitchen Emma." The girl didn't call back but Snow knew she had heard her.

James came can up behind Snow slowly and wraped his arms around her waist pulling her close to him. As she sunk into his embrace she let out an exhausted sigh and he bent his head down and kissed her on the side of the neck just below her jaw. "You don't have to worry her just yet."

Snow closed her eyes and entwinded her fingers with his. "If I don't tell her then how do you know that I might not lose her again."

James spun Snow around carefully and moved his hands to brush her dark hair away out of her face. "Snow you won't lose her again."

"How do you know that? If she finds out that we knew and we didn't tell her and something happenes to that boy, Emma will never forgive us and you know that."

"Okay" James finally says. "We tell Emma but she has to know that I will not have her anywhere near Regina. When we set up a plan to get Daniel, Emma will not have any part in it. She will remain here in the castle safe and away from any traps Regina is planing."

James spoke so firmly that all Snow could hear in his voice was concern for their daughters safety and the fear of anything happening to her. "I will tell Emma but Charming she's not going to take having to stay here very well."

"Snow I will not let Regina near her." James closed his eyes and tried to hold back his tears. The memory of thinking that he had lost his wonderful daughter when Regina's castle fell to the ground was too raw in his mind. The pain he had gone though if only for a short moment was nothing like he had ever experienced and even the thought of having to relive that ever again was unbearable.

Snow had sensed where his thoughts had gone to. James had told her what had happened at the castle that day when he brought Emma home and that he had thought he had lost her. She could tell it had scared him more than anything and the emotions of it all had overloaded him as he told her what happened. Snow wraped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her as she met his lips with hers kissing them and pulling apart only bearly to whisper against them. "I believe you but I also had to warn you." She kissed him once more before pulling away completely. "I love you Charming." She smiled before turning and away from him but before she could take another step she felt his arm grab hers and pull her back into him. He slid his arm tightly around her waist again holding her firmly against his chest and his other hand slid down her arm to interlock their fingers.

"I love you so much more my Queen." James whispered to her before kissing her and letting her go again.

…...

Snow found Emma in the kitchen sitting down at the table that was in the middle of the room, she was sipping a cup of hot coco when Snow slid down into the seat next to her with her own cup in hand.

"Did you see Red off?" Snow asked noting how Emma was focusing on running her finger around the rim of the cup. Something the child did when she was thinking through her own thoughts and figuring out what she wanted to say next.

Emma didn't take her eyes of the now cool coco. "Yer she asked me to tell you that she'll be back over in the morning once she finishes up a few errans." She pauses and hops up from her seat to empty her cup. "Why was Red here?"

Snow watched her daughter very carfully, she could tell Emma was holding back and wanted to know. It was unsual for Red to come and talk privatly with them then run off again unless something was wrong and Emma always seemed to pick up on that. This was one of the things Snow was so proud of by her daughter, she could pick up the little details most people missed and most of the time would push until she found out what everything ment. "She was just informing your father and myself about some issue out in one of the villages."

"So did you scedual a council meeting then?" Seeing her mothers face turn into slight confusion Emma continued. "I mean you always have a council meeting when something like that happens so you can work it out."

"Oh um no we havn't scedualed a meeting just yet."

"Sorry if I interupted there was no guard at the door and so I thought you had finished talking."

Snow looked over her daughter who was now filling up her cup with fresh hot coco. She really didn't miss anything. She knew guards stood at the doors whenever they had meetings but they were there to stop others from walking in and interupting never to stop Emma. She was always allowed to walk in, it was one rule Snow had made when Emma started walking espically when both her and James were in there unless of course it was a very serious matter but then Snow would make sure someone like Red or Granny was playing with Emma. "You didn't interup anything Sweetie, we were actually talking about you when you came in."

Emma's heart skipped a beat as she stired in the grinded cinnamon, the three of them in a room alone, talking about her was never a good sign. "What about me?" She questioned in a shaky voice.

"Red and your father were telling me about Daniel?" As much as Snow tried to sound casual, at her words Emma went ridged and almost dropped her cup. She quickly recovered herself but Snow could see it written all over her as she turned around and slowly walked back over to her seat and sat back down at the table.

"What did they tell you?"

Snow didn't say that they had told her before today but just what she was told about him. "That you two seemed to have been pretty close friends and that he tried to protect you not just with Red but with Regina as well."

"What else did they say?" Emma kept her eyes down and her voice soft. Snow just smiled at her daughters respons, it was what she expected. It was her way of finding out exactaly what Snow knew without giving anything more away.

"Not much other than that really. How did you two meet?"

Emma's eyes connected with her mother's. "I'm not sure if you really want to hear about that story."

"Emma honey." Snow said taking her daughters hand in her own and turning her to make sure she has her full attention. "I want to know everything about my daughter and don't you dare think for even a second that you can't come to me because you think it's going to hurt me. No matter what it is Em good or bad I'm here and I'm never going anywhere. Same as your father, nothing you can do will change how much we love you we just don't want you to feel like you can't talk to us."

Emma couldn't hide the small smile that pulled at her lips. "I met Daniel after I stole a bow and a knife from one of the villages I was at the first day I left. I was running from the store keeper when I bumped into him."

Emma tried to read her mothers face for anger or disapointment but instead Snow smirked. "Let's not tell your father about that detail just yet. All he'll do is blame it on how you got my genes." Emma relaxed and Snow was glade she was able to open up about something she was clearly tring to keep to herself. "Wait you said a village. Your father had soilders search every village that day."

"Uh yer." She shifted in her seat. "Daniel saw my reaction when I spotted them coming and he helped me hide. I had a cloak on so nobody else saw who I was but when I bumped into Daniel he saw it was me. He could have given me up right then but he helped me get into the forest and after a bit of arguing he convinced me to let him tag along. At first he doupted my skills a lot but after a few days he figured it out that I was as good as him."

Snow didn't doupt her daughter skills as Red had taught her much and Emma had a natural talent for most things. "Red said he was only your age. How did you two get around so much?"

"Daniel has spent most of his life out in the forest so he knows pretty much everything there is to know about surviving out there. I guess if it wasn't for him teaching me all he knew you would have found me sooner."

"Emma was he on the run too?" Snow couldn't help but worry that her daughter had been hanging out with a boy who was wanted or introuble, not that she was judging him on that status but mostly concered for her daughters safety.

The blond gave her mother a reasuring smile. "No mom, he just doesn't really have any family so he wonders around the forest and helps people that are lost most of the time."

"What happened when you went to Regina?" Snow knew how hurt James was by this day, by just whitnessing his daughters reactions and how emotional she was that day, she knew it was going to be harder for Emma to relive. When Emma turned her head away Snow squeezed her hands. She didn't want Emma to hide, she needed to know how the child was going to take the news she so desperatly wishes she didn't have to give her.

"When I told Daniel that I was going to see Regina I had already made up my mind and he knew that I wouldn't change it. He went along with me but when I told him to leave he didn't, he stayed and watched my back. I made him stay in the forest when I went into the castle eventhough he knew I didn't have a plan and that I was pretty much looking for trouble. Daniel knew better though, he knew _me_ better and when I got caught by Regina and locked up he snuck in and got me out." Emma took a breath and focused for a second of getting a grip on her emotions while Snow waited paientaly for her to continue. "He risked everything to get me out and even more when he stayed and helped me stand up to Regina."

"Why did you say goodbye?"

Emma shruged her shoulders. "I have a life to live here. His life is out there in the forest."

Snow knew Emma wasn't going to say anymore she had already opened up so much and going to far into the emotions and meanings of each thing would only have Emma shut down. "Sweetie I need to tell you something."

Emma snaped her head towards her mothers and her eyes locked with hers. She knew that tone, that tone always brought worry and concern alone with it. It was always used with bad news, news about a form of danger. If it wasn't for the look in her mothers eyes and the way she was looking back at her than Emma would have convinced herself she miss heard her mothers tone. But looking back in the fimilar green eyes she started to panic. Her mother was watching for her reaction to her every word.

"There was a man in one of the nearby villages who is saying he saw some of Regina's men wrestling with a boy. We think Regina has gone after and captured Daniel."

Emma went numb. It was like everything seemed to stop. No. No it couldn't be true.

"No!"


End file.
